Denying My Purpose
by MistressAli
Summary: A strange lady employs Sonic's help to defeat a mysterious evil that devours all in its path.
1. all life will end

Denying My Purpose (c) 99'-00' by me, MistressAli  
All "Sonic the Hedgehog" characters and related indicia (c) and TM Sega.  
Packbell (c) David Pistone  
All used without permission.  
Ben and IT are (c) MistressAli

This document may be freely distributed, as long as it's not altered in any way.  
Ok, peoples, this story contains: some violence & swearing...just a warning...

Just a note: these ** indicate thought and flashbacks...

Part One  
all life will end

**Mother...father...where are you?  
What are you?**

All she could recall was stars.  
A flash of light...was that her birth?

A sensation of floating in space, cradled in something warm and invisible. She floated past stars and suns, nebulas, and planets, black holes and asteroids. Space debri and meteorites flew harmlessly by her.  
Like a baby, she cooed and giggled, twirling around on her weightless feet, playing with the tails of comets, dancing on the rings of planets...

Benjamin.  
That was her name. How it came to be, she didn't know.  
**Did somebody give me that name? Or did I just pick it up myself?**  
She couldn't recall anybody ever calling her that. She didn't have any friends.

**Who am I? And why am I here...?  
My purpose...just what is my purpose? I know. Of course, I must guard the evil...make sure IT never gets loose again.  
I will snuggle down where it is warm, right here. It's funny I can think when I dream, but I am dreaming, aren't I? Otherwise I would be awake. I can't see anything but swirling colors. I must be asleep.  
The evil, IT is sleeping too. That is good. Deep down there in the black water, where nothing can touch IT. Nobody can use IT. That is good. Because all life would end if that energy got out of IT's glass box.  
I will sleep now. Deeper sleep where I do not have to think. I will know if something bumps off that box, if something touches it, I will know. I would sense it, because of the connection... IT will be safe.  
Nothing will happen...**

******

Robotroplian bay. So dark and deep, swirling with pollutants.  
**For all my love of toxics and metals...I wouldn't set a foot in that water.**  
His yellow cape flapped in the breeze behind him. He had his hands clasped behind his back. His beautiful stomach was a full round shape, starting from his chin, ending at the middle of his stubby legs.  
**I look so majestic. So glorious. I should pose here...get an artistic prisoner. Make them paint me...I'd hang it in the command room. How wonderful it would look.**  
His face wrinkled into a smile. There was almost a twinkle in his artificial eyes. But like his entire aura, it was menacing and wicked.  
Down in those waters was a secret, and he knew he must have it. He'd seen it before...so long ago. To retrieve that secret object...it would mean the end of KnotHole. The end of the wretched children rebels that plagued him.  
He turned at footsteps. He saw his beautiful android picking his way over the rocks and trash surrounding the bay. Packbell...his 'son', his creation.  
**Oh...it's wonderful what these hands of mine can do. Just look at him. He's exquisite.**  
Packbell came closer, his black silky hair ruffled in the breeze. Robotnik could see his brilliant red eyes from here.  
Then his eyes turned to the form behind Packbell and he scowled.  
**Now...he is pathetic.**  
The two minions came and stood before Robotnik. Packbell was smiling. Snively looked sullen as usual, and he was limping from stumbling over the rocks.  
"Are you ready?"  
"Yes sir." Packbell kept grinning.  
"I hate swimming," said Snively.  
"Silence. Now get ready."  
Packbell and Snively sat down and fitted big flippers onto their feet. They were dressed up to scuba dive, in tight-fitting black bodysuits. Packbell looked magnificent; the clothes molding to his muscular form. Sniv' looked even skinnier than usual, without any folds or loose clothing to bulk out his form.  
Sniv' slipped his goggle-mask over his face, while Packbell stuck a finger in the water to test it.  
"YECH, it's cold!" he complained.  
"And it smells bad," said Snively. Packbell shoved him.  
"No one asked you, Needlenose!"  
"Silence, both of you!" Robotnik turned to look out over the bay.  
**It's down there. I can feel it. It will soon be mine.**  
"It will be in a glass box, I believe. I don't care how long it takes you to find it, just find it!"  
"Um...what is it, anyway?"  
Robotnik clasped his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Down there...is some kind of project I worked on a long long time ago. It's a powerful energy...it'll destroy those freedom fighters. I know it will."

**Who says it won't destroy us too?!** Snively squirmed out from his uncle's hand.  
"I know what you're thinking," said Robotnik. "But we'll control it, m'boy. It won't hurt us."  
**So damn stupid. Thinks everything will go his way, he should've realized by now that nothing goes his way...everything he tries fails and this will fail too.**  
Robotnik's small eyes, nestled under a ridge of bone and wrinkles of fat, glowed like red suns. "Get in there, and find it." He gave his nephew a shove to the small of the back, and the little man stumbled onto his knees in the water.  
Packbell ran out into the water like a child at the beach for the first time. Sniv' hesitated on the shoreline.  
**I don't like this. Who knows what's in that water?** He could imagine fish, mutated into monsters by the pollutants. He shivered. He turned and looked back at his uncle, who was scowling. Packbell had already dove under and was swimming away.  
"Go on," said Robotnik.  
Sniv' didn't move.  
"Go on," repeated the tyrant, one fist clenching threateningly. His tiny kin sighed, and waded out into the water. Robotnik smiled in satisfaction as the lackey disappeared beneath the waves.

The water was deep and dark. Packbell's powerful arms thrust him forward through the black liquid. He glided like a bullet, strobe flashlight playing over the bottom of the bay. He turned in the water.  
His small 'cousin' was struggling. Sniv' looked very uncomfortable as he clung to the rope attached to Packbell's waist.  
**Pressure's getting to him, I bet. Freakin' little wuss.** Packbell grinned evilly.  
The water was so dark. He blended in well with his black body-suit and black hair.

**Where is he?** Snively scowled heavily as the rope he was holding onto yanked out of his hands and went spinning away into the water.  
He treaded for a second, looking around. **Can't see shit under here.**  
Suddenly hands grabbed him around the shoulders and he found himself looking into two glowing eyes. He screamed.  
Packbell's mouth opened and closed silently, body shaking. Snively knew he was laughing.  
**Damn bastard.**  
Packbell beckoned with one hand and swam further under.  
**I don't want to. It hurts.** Sniv' remained where he was, just floating in the dark water.  
Packbell swam back. He moved so easily. Like an otter. Of course, he was an android. He could adapt to any situation.  
"Is the pressure hurting you?" Packbell asked via the com link in Snively's mask. It startled him because he'd forgotten about it.  
"Yes," he answered back.  
"Too bad." Packbell's hand clamped around Sniv's arm and he dragged the small human down with him.  
"How...how far down are we?" gasped Sniv', his body aching. The pressure, it closed around him. He felt crushed.  
"We're only like...fifty feet down. Stop being a wuss."  
**Where the hell is the bottom? The bay can't be too much deeper.** Snively struggled out of Packbell's grip.  
Packbell glanced back to see if he was still following. His shoulder sank into soft sand, and he thrust away, startled.  
"Well, looks like we're at the bottom."  
Sniv' nodded.  
Packbell swam along the bottom, with Snively following. "Some kind of glass box, remember."  
"Yes, I know."  
**Just what kind of power is this anyway? Knowing Julian it'll either be something stupid, or dangerous. Or both. Something he can't control. Julian's always biting off more than his fat face can chew...**

Packbell glanced over his shoulder, taking in his 'cousin's' face. He could only see the eyes, but that was enough. Sniv' looked pissed. **I know what he's thinking. That this is stupid. Thinks everything's stupid. But he's right. Robotnik is a retard.**  
He dug his hands down into the soft sand, using it to propel himself forward. The minutes whirled by.  
A faint glow lit up the sand. The box, half-buried. Packbell scooted closer, taking it in. It seemed empty. But looking closer, he saw that trapped inside was a strange black shape. What shape...he couldn't tell. It shifted and moved before his eyes could take hold.  
A strong shiver went through him. **Is this even right? Should I even disturb this kind of power...?**  
Sniv' came up to his side, big eyes wide in awe. Packbell lifted the box out of the sand.  
"Don't touch it, Packbell! Leave it!"  
"So, you feel it too, then?"  
"How couldn't you?"  
"I know. Agree with you for once. But you know Robotnik. If we come back empty-handed..."  
"He doesn't have to know...we couldn't find it, that's it. It wasn't there."  
"You're such a shitty liar, Snivvy."  
Packbell heard a faint snort, and fancied he saw Sniv' rolling his eyes. "Well, maybe not, but still...he won't come off this idea until we bring him something."  
"Glass. A piece of glass from the broken box. Won't really break the box, of course...but we'll say we found it broken..."  
Packbell shook his head. 'Fuck that. I'll just bring it to him. Maybe whatever's inside it will kill him." And he heaved the box under one arm, and headed up for the surface.

Sniv' started after him, feeling suddenly weak. **It's going to kill us too...**

*****

She jerked awake.  
**No.**  
Her eyelashes batted at the darkness, but it remained. Her hand reached up, touching the smoothness of a cave wall.  
**Someone's touched IT.**  
She remembered. She was in a cave. Asleep. Asleep for years....  
**It can't be! IT was hidden. Who knows about IT?! They haven't unleashed IT?!**  
She struggled to sit up. Her body was cold and stiff. She stretched a little, feeling the muscles pull and warm up.  
**My purpose... yes. To stop that thing, that evil...from being unleashed. I must go. I MUST hurry...**  
She crawled on hands and knees through a cramped tunnel, and emerged out onto the black sand of a beach. Pollutants stung her nostrils and she coughed. Daylight seared her eyes, and she whimpered.  
**Must hurry...must...before all life...**  
She stood on shaky legs.  
**...ends...**

She saw them, two creatures, struggling over the deep sands. She broke into a run, muscles groaning from their long rest. But she caught up with them. They whirled at her approach.  
"Stop. You do not know what you carry." She said. Her long hands stretched out. "Give IT to me."  
The taller creature  
**...so flawless, so flawed...**  
grinned slightly, red eyes flaring up. "Who the hell are you, missy?"  
**So arrogant, thinks he's untouchable... I can sense all the pain he's caused...he revels in it...** She shook her head hard, shaking out images of agonized victims. She almost hated it...the way she could see everything. The way she could look inside of everything. It'd been that way as long as she could remember.  
"I am the keeper of this evil. IT was not meant to be found. I implore you, give IT to me. IT will only bring death. To you. To everyone."  
"Outta my way, lady, before I get annoyed." The tall one pushed by her rather rudely, but the smaller one stared at her.  
"My...she's beautiful," he mummered, but the taller one scoffed.  
"Stupid. She don't look any different than any other Mobians."  
She heard his thoughts swirling...She was so attractive, but not in a blatant way. It was a subtle beauty, hinted at in the color of her eyes, slightly tilted, in the way she held her body, but moreso by the way she talked...  
**I've seen her before. I'm sure of it...when? Way back...way back...must've been around my childhood...**  
He could remember something...a shadow of something at least, but it wouldn't come out into the light. He remembered the shine of bright lights on glass. But when he tugged on the memory, it hid away and he blinked, and couldn't remember any more.  
She furrowed her brow, finding herself caught up in his thoughts. She knew she might've seen him somewhere, sometime...  
Then her eyes moved to the taller figure. He was still walking. Still carrying the box.  
**No. He cannot leave. He cannot take IT.**  
She raced after him, her feet sinking into the sand. Her legs trembled, nearly spilling her to the ground. She was still weak.  
**It doesn't matter. I must stop him...IT...**  
She moved in front of him. He halted and looked down at her, his strange red eyes narrowing. She laid her hand on his arm and then reeled back, her mind screaming.  
**He isn't real. What is this?! He isn't real.** Another thought jumped in. **He's just like you, dear...just like you...**  
She shook the thought away.

He smirked at her expression; opened mouth, widened eyes. She was shocked at something.  
**Probably my massive muscles. Heh.**

She stared hard into his eyes, searching for the darkness that IT might have caused. Could IT be clouding his mind? Would he smash the box, let IT out? She could sense the energy, bouncing, humming. IT wasn't supposed to be able to reach through the glass.  
She saw darkness in this tall being's eyes, but it was not caused by IT. The dark energy was not influencing him; rather this evilness was in this being's nature. He was made to be cruel, made to kill.  
Her legs trembled again.  
"I told you," his voice was as distant as the fog-shrouded land across the bay, "get outta my way."  
He grabbed her arm in his fist.  
Her legs trembled and gave out, and she voiced a shriek that made the little man cover his ears. Images flashed before her eyes; a mouth screaming, a woman crying, blood, blood....tears...dead children, dead men, dead women, all dead...she saw his hands, bloodied; they were all dead by his hands...  
"NO!"  
She jerked away.  
**He is evil. I never thought I would meet an evil worse than IT. NO. He is not worse. He cannot destroy universes...**  
She was kneeling on the sand. She wanted to stay there. It was warm. She laid her face upon it. It smelled of pollutants. This place was contaminated.  
**Get up. You must stop him. You are the guardian of IT. This is your purpose.**  
She stood up. Her legs held her.

The fake man was walking away again. The little one was trailing after him. She could feel the fear in his body. He was afraid of many things, that one. She could sense it even without touching him.  
She was up and running again. The fake man looked angry now.  
"Ok lady, you had your chance," he growled. He dropped the box down on the sand, and she was frozen with terror for a moment.  
**It isn't broke... it isn't broke...** Her breath blew out in a relieved sigh.  
The fake man's fist clenched. The little one took a step back, not wanting to get involved. She found herself retreating also; the fake man was big.  
**I cannot beat him.  
You can.  
I can't.  
YES. You can.**  
She nodded slightly, and stood still, just waiting. The fake man came towards her, leering. She could feel his false pulse speeding up; strange excitement coursing through him.  
**He would enjoy my pain. Enjoy it like sex.**  
He lunged. She leapt out of the way. Her muscles screamed from the sudden movement.  
He had her. She struggled in his grip. He clamped one hand around her throat, the other roughly caressing her breast.  
He threw her down and ran a hand down the lower part of his body in a sexual manner. "Maybe I should teach her a lesson. Hmmm?" He looked over at his short companion.  
"No, Packbell, just leave her alone." The smaller man's voice came out weary.  
**He's seen it all before. All the horror. All the pain.**  
"Why? I could take her, hell, you could have a turn, if you want."  
"No, just leave her."  
"You're no fun, Sniv'," growled the android. His eyes traveled over her, and then moved to the box. He reached down and grabbed it, and tossed it towards the small man.  
Her breath caught in her throat.  
The box landed squarely in the little man's arms. It was big. He held it awkwardly, but didn't drop it.  
The fake man snatched her by the arm. "I'll leave her alone, for now," he said. "But later..." He ran his tongue along his lips suggestively.  
The smaller man, Sniv', she supposed his name was, looked disgusted. She agreed. The fake man was a terrible being.  
**I shall have to destroy him.**

&&&&&&&&&&

"What will you do with IT?" she asked, as he dragged her along.  
The fake man, Packbell, looked down at her. "It?"  
She motioned towards the box.  
"Ah, that. Our big ole boss is gonna play around with it, I guess. Thinks it'll kill the freedom fighters."  
"He will release IT?!" Her voice came out as a scream.  
The fake man looked startled for a second, then regained his arrogant demeanor. "Damned if I know. Probably."  
"He cannot!"  
"Hey, according to him, he can do anything he damn well pleases."  
Sniv' muttered something under his breath.  
She wrenched free from his grip. He looked startled again.

**She's strong!**

"I cannot allow this to happen. You must not release IT. You must give IT to me."  
"I'll gladly give it to you," Sniv' said. He moved as if to hand it to her, something curling and swimming in his eyes.  
**He feels IT. Even through the glass, he can feel IT. Terrified. He's terrified.**  
Packbell grabbed Sniv' roughly by the arm, almost making him drop the box. Her heart skipped a beat for the third time, but the box did not fall.  
"You ain't giving her shit."  
**Enough games. I must get IT back NOW. Before they break it. Before they let IT out.**  
She could sense Packbell's arrogance. It hovered over him like fog. She knew what to do.  
"I challenge you."  
"Oh really? To what?"  
"I will fight you for the box."  
Packbell cracked his knuckles. "You really are a dumb bitch, aren't you?"  
"Do you or do you not accept the challenge?"  
Packbell took the box from Sniv' and hefted it in his hand for a moment. Then he set it down on the sand. "Fine. I accept. But you're gonna end up dead, you know."  
She stared him in the eye, and he smiled a bit at her fearlessness.  
He stood for a moment, flexing his muscles, showing off. Then he lunged at her. She threw her hand out, pressing her palm flat to his chest as he came near to her.  
She felt the universe inside her, the stars, planets. She felt the power tingling her veins, rushing out towards her hand, but it was too late. He grabbed her arms and threw her onto the sand. The last thing she saw were his silvery teeth. Then her head hit a rock, and she was out cold.

*****

She awoke.  
She was cold. She shivered.  
She sat up. Her surroundings were metal. She saw bars in front of her.  
**I am captured.**  
The bars were no match for her. She put her hands to them and closed her eyes. She felt the surge of the universe, the ground underneath this tremendous metal building feeding her its power. When she opened her eyes, the bars were bent far enough apart for her to squeeze through.  
She closed her eyes again, and let her mind flow out. She felt the walls without touching them. Her mind spread out around her, searching. She heard the humming of IT inside her head.  
**The evil is here. In this building. Up!** She looked around for stairs, found none. There was an elevator instead. She entered and pressed the highest number. There was a whir and then the small box was shooting upwards into the building.  
She crouched down on the floor. **My stomach. Ooh, feels weird!**  
The elevator stopped suddenly, making her fall over. She pushed herself up and exited.  
She spread her mind out again.  
**Yes. IT is on this floor. Somewhere.**  
"HEY!" The voice startled her and she turned.  
Packbell was standing there. "How'd you get outta your cell?"  
"I pushed the bars apart."  
Her voice was so simple, so matter-of-fact, that Packbell laughed. "You couldn't stay away from me, could you?" He struck a pose and looked at his distorted reflection in the metal wall. "I am irresistible, aren't I?"  
"Where is the box?"  
His smile twisted into a snarl. "I think it's time you go back to your cell."  
"I must have the box. You must not release the energy."  
"Lady, I've had about enough." The fake man drew out a gun and pointed it at her. "Now come on. I'll put you in a cell you can't get out of."  
**He will not listen. Fine.**  
She closed her eyes briefly. She saw the stars, saw asteroids, planets, galaxies. She felt them in her mind, flowing through her veins. **Is that what I'm made of...?**  
He came towards her. She felt the power surge up and she threw her hand out towards him. The energy burst out of her fingertips. The force of it made her scream.  
Packbell saw her fling her hand out. He smiled at the pitiful attempt to defend herself. She shrieked suddenly, and he saw a ball of light coming towards him. There was a strange glitter within it, like stars. Then it slammed into him, and he flew backwards into the wall. His metal skull left a huge dent. He slid down to the floor, stunned.  
**Destroy.** She hummed the thought, threw out the energy with an almost casual gesture. His body jerked on the floor, and then his limbs flew off, going in all directions. He howled. Oil formed a puddle around his wrecked body.  
She stared at him for a long second. Normally, killing would be the last thing she would do. But this man...wasn't real. So it was not really death she had caused...more of just a halt to something unnatural and false.  
Something tugged at her. **Just like him, you are just like him...**  
She shook the thought away and spread her mind out again. She could feel the energy. IT was humming, bouncing faster.  
**IT is excited. IT wants out. IT cannot be released!**  
She began to search the floor, following the humming in her mind. She was almost there. She turned a corner and stopped.

The short man was coming down the hallway. He halted when he saw her.  
"What are you doing out?"  
She sighed. "The box. Where is the box?" She walked towards him as she talked.  
He looked behind her, seeing a trail of oily footprints. She was leaving them. She must've destroyed a SWATbot or some such thing. He took a step away from her, and then grabbed the laser pistol out of his belt.  
"Stop right there!" His voice was high; she knew he was afraid.  
"I will not harm you. I only need the box."  
She came closer, and he held his ground, holding the pistol unwavering.  
**His aura. So sad. So bitter. Angry.** She stared into his eyes, which were a shade of light blue, pale and cold. **He will shoot, I am sure of it.**  
"Don't move," he growled.  
"You are so hurt," she said.  
He glared at her.  
She dug inside her, seeing the imagery of universes, of night skies.  
She spread her arms out, very slowly. **Mustn't frighten him.**  
The hallway darkened suddenly. From the walls and air, stars gleamed. He gasped. She lifted her voice up into sweet wordless song. She could sing beautifully. She could entice birds to her hand with her voice. **Who taught me this?** She tried to think of a mother, but couldn't. Like so many times before, she could not imagine what her mother looked like, or sounded like. Or if she even had a mother.  
Around her, colors shimmered in the air.  
Sniv's mouth dropped open.  
She gleamed light, lit up like the aurora borealis, only ten times more brilliant. She leaned forward and touched his shoulders, and he trembled.  
"How beautiful," he mummered.  
She saw tears shining in his eyes. She put her hands up to his face. He laughed softly, warmth in his eyes. He was enjoying her show. The feel of enjoyment was unfamiliar in his aura; awkward.  
**He does not enjoy much. Does not love much. Hates very much. Hates this life.**  
"It's beautiful," he said again.  
She nodded, then whispered. "Forgive me."  
She saw something register in his eyes, some understanding, but it was too late. She jerked his head hard to the side, snapping his delicate neck. Her arms gently lowered him to the floor, where he lay still, eyes wide open.  
**I know I know...death is the last resort...but...**  
He seemed just too hurt to live...  
**It is for the better.** She closed his eyes and then continued her search.

She stopped a few minutes later, in front of double doors. The humming was loud in her head. She rubbed her temples, grimacing.  
**The evil is definitely in there.**  
There was a button near the door. She pressed her hand against it and the doors opened.  
She walked in.  
There was a large green chair in the center of the room. It was turned away from her. She drew in a deep breath, and felt her skin shiver. There was so much evil in this room. And it wasn't just from IT.  
A voice came the chair. Low, rumbling...wicked. "Snively, is that you? Packbell?"  
She said nothing, but took a step closer. Now she could see more of the room. The box was sitting in front of the chair. She saw the shapeless blackness inside, bouncing. **IT's so excited. Is IT manipulating this man? I know how badly IT wants out.**  
The chair turned and a fat man glared at her.  
**He is so terrible. So evil!** Her thoughts flashed back to the fake man. **He created him. What kind of mind could create that horror?**  
He had eyes like smoldering red coals. The evil that burned in them was intense...and endless.  
**He will never love again...if he ever did. He could never be turned back.**  
"How did you get in here?" he growled. His voice sent shivers through her.  
**He is a man who understands logic. But not mercy.**  
"That box you have there..."  
"Yes, what of it?"  
"It cannot be opened."  
He had his gloved hands on it, prying at it. "Oh, and why not?"  
"IT is a dangerous energy. IT cannot be released."  
"Oh, but that's good," he chuckled. "It must be dangerous enough to wipe out those rebels!"  
She stepped closer to his throne. "You do not understand. It will kill everyone."  
He raised his fist to smash the box.  
She leapt forward, but it was too late.  
His fist smashed down...  
**OH NO!**  
...the box shattered...  
**ALL LIFE...**  
IT seeped out like fog, freezing and scalding simultaneously.  
**...WILL END!**  
IT gathered into a mass, hovering over the evil man's head. He looked up at IT, mouth gaped open.  
"You see, dear," he began, but she screamed, "IT WILL KILL YOU!"  
"What?" he sputtered, and like a hunting bird, IT swooped upon him.  
There was no scream. He clattered down, a pile of bones and flesh. IT hovered over him, sucking out the last bits of his life force. The bones crumbled to fine powder, dissipating into the air.  
She turned and fled. IT tracked her, like a magnet to metal. She ran blindly.  
**No, stop, stop! You have to fight IT!!  
NO! I MUST RUN! I do not want to die...**  
She ran faster, going past the small man. She could sense IT pause at his body, ripping the last bits of his energy. She felt IT search for his soul.  
**It has already flown, thank the Gods.**  
The fat man hadn't been so lucky.

She kept going, clear into the forest. Thorns tore at her fur; small animals startled and fled, sensing danger. She stumbled over roots and rocks, still weary from her long sleep.  
She could sense life. There was a grouping of beings in this forest. She could feel them inside her; hear their laughter, see their memories. They were good.  
**The rebels? I must warn them.**  
Over logs and bushes she went, her breathing ragged. She could feel IT behind her, cackling and bouncing with glee. IT wanted her. Wanted the sweet taste of her soul.  
**IT is a long way behind, but gaining...  
I should stop and fight IT...  
NO! I must warn the rebels first!  
But you can beat IT, you must!!  
To fight IT would mean my death! I cannot!**  
She stopped before a hollow log. The feel of life was close here. She crawled into it, and found herself sliding downwards. She tried to grab the sides of the log, but her claws wouldn't hold.  
Her landing was soft. She stood up, seeing a pile of hay beneath her. Before her was the startled faces of the forest villagers.  
"Run from this place!" she screamed. "IT is coming!"  
"Hey!" A big skunk grabbed her roughly. "What are you talking about? Whatsa matter with you?"

*****

Sonic held a cloth bag in his hand. Within it were the Time Stones. Tails had gotten a hold of them earlier.  
**Gotta put 'em in a safe place. Hmph, thought my sock drawer was safe enough. Sally'll have a place for 'em.**  
He frowned. **What's all that screaming?**  
He zoomed to the spot, near the oak slide. His eyes took in the sky, black and gray. **Storm coming?**  
Then he saw Geoffrey, holding a basenji woman by the arm. She looked unfamiliar. Her fur was tan, with accents of white, from a streak down her face that spilled over her chest and belly, and spread to the insides of her thighs. She had green eyes, and dark brown headfur, unkempt and wild. She wore no clothing.  
She was screaming. "You have to run! IT's coming!"  
"Lady, you're nuts. Shut up." Geoff shoved her away.  
"HEY!" Sonic yelled.  
"Pincushion, you stay outta this. She's crazy AND she's an intruder."

She sensed something in the young blue hedgehog. Heroics. A deep sense of loyalty. And that bag he was holding...a powerful energy. The energy to move back and forth in time.  
"Blue one, you are the only one. Use that energy...go back before the evil...you must stop the fat man from getting IT!"  
Geoff grabbed her by the arm. "Ok, mate, I think we can find you someplace to stay; a nice dry cell."

Sonic's eyes traveled to the sky again. He saw some of the other villagers looking at it too. But it was most unusual.  
The sky was getting black. Not black from clouds, in fact, he couldn't see any clouds at all. No, the sky itself was darkening, like nighttime. Except it was afternoon.  
**Is this one of those things...an ellipse...no, an eclipse.**  
But it wasn't like that, not exactly. It was like it was traveling over the forest. Right towards them. It made his stomach feel queasy for some reason.  
She broke free from Geoffrey and ran towards him.  
Sonic took a step back as she clutched at his hands, shaking the Timestone bag in her fist. "Use these, blue one! Go now! Hurry! IT's coming...and IT mustn't get you..."  
The blackness was coming closer. Moving fast. Very fast. The nauseous feeling increased. Sonic gulped and breathed in deep.  
"GO NOW!" She screamed. "IT's almost here!"  
He heard a terrible sound. It wasn't in the air exactly. It was more like...through everything. Rumbling in the earth, and the air, and his bones...and it made him almost scream in panic. He heard gasps and looked around. Everyone in Knothole looked the same...  
Terrified.  
They felt it.  
"Mon dieu! Mon dieu!" They heard Antoine screaming, and the fox came hurtling from the direction of the lookout tower. "Something eez coming theese way! Eet ees horrible!"  
Antoine stopped and looked behind him. They saw him stiffen. Then a scream came from his mouth such as they'd never heard before.  
"Go now, blue one." The hedgehog barely heard the girl's whisper.  
"IT's here."  
Blackness rushed from the woods. The trees crumpled into dust. Villagers screamed and scattered, but not before seeing the blackness catch up to Antoine. There was a short yelp, and then...  
Just bones, and then dust...and then nothing. Except for the blackness. It filled the air, shriveling the grass it passed over, coming towards them. Too fast for them to even run.  
Except for one.  
"GO NOW!" The girl screamed, grabbing Sonic by the hand. She dragged him along.  
He broke free and ran, scared silly. He didn't know where she went. But he didn't wait to find out.  
He shot by Sally's hut, and then went back. Sally was in her garden, and she looked up just in time to see the blackness reach her.  
"NOOOO!!! SALLLYYYYY!!!"  
His chest heaved and he screamed. Where Sally had stood was now bones. And now, as the blackness hovered over...just dust. He thought he saw a bright light, traveling upwards...  
Then the blackness reached up, like a tendril, and snatched the spark. Swallowed it. Devoured it.  
**Oh something is mondo wrong with that... Oh Gods something is really wrong wrong wrong with that...**  
He thought he heard a silent scream, echoing in the air, in his bones. Much like the terrible sound from before had. He realized, it was coming from the blackness. The blackness was making that terrible sound. And from within the blackness, he could hear screaming...though not with his ears. With his very soul.  
Something hit him. **My soul. It wants...my soul...**  
He screamed then, in incredible panic. And ran. IT traveled like black air behind him.  
In his soul, he heard one scream clearly.  
A female. One he loved. Gone. But not.  
Trapped. She was trapped. In the worst sort of way. Worse than hell, even.  
**NOOOOOSALLLYYYY!!!!**  
He ripped the bag away from the Timestones and pressed them together.  
"Take me back to...to..."  
It was almost upon him...  
"to...before the evil! BEFORE THE EVIL!!"  
"Take him back to me..." He heard the crazy girl's voice mummer.  
Then he was swept away.


	2. she says she saw visions

Part Two  
she says she saw visions  
  
  
**They were born at the same time. Benjamin was sure of that.  
**And somehow I got the responsibility of being IT's guardian.**  
She had to make sure the evil was contained and kept away from people who would release IT. IT loved to eat...and the thing it fed upon was souls.  
**When did I meet IT? Oh yes.**   
The memory was a bit tattered and faded, but she'd never forget.  
In her travels through space....for she was a space traveler, going from planet to planet....  
**A nice talent, I suppose.** Although she knew being able to travel through the dead airless realm was rather strange, if not unnatural.   
**Ah well...**   
There were many things about her she didn't even understand.  
But back to the story.   
  
She traveled through space, stopping at planets and moons, sometimes out of curiosity, other times out of an almost irresistible urge. Some of the planets she went to were dead. Void of life. She wondered what had had happened to them.   
And some of them were bustling with life, and she would spend months dwelling and basking in the new cultures she found.  
One time she returned to a planet she was fond of, only to find it had been destroyed in a similar fashion.  
She never knew quite what was causing the destruction, until one day in her travels through space, she'd come upon a small planet...  
  
She walked through a desolate deserted city, wondering where everybody was. Was there a war? Had hostile aliens invaded? But there was a warmth in the air, like people had been there very recently.  
"Pssst, girl. Get in here before that thing gets you!"  
She looked to her side, seeing a group of the native people huddled underneath the porch of a house. They were small, with white skin, gangly arms, and frightened black eyes.   
"What thing?" she asked.  
"It's black, and wicked, and evil!" babbled a young boy, before an older woman, presumably a relative of his, smacked him.   
"Hush, you. It's something horrible. Just wandering around. Everybody it touches, disappears...but we know they're dead."  
"Hmmmm..." Benjamin hmmmmed.   
**I know what they are speaking of...even if I have never seen it. IT is the thing...the thing I have felt within myself for as long as I can remember. IT is what brought me here!**  
Yes, it had to be. Some strange pull had drawn her to this planet. She had felt the strange connection...to WHAT? She didn't know...but she had felt it her entire life. When she had neared the planet, the pull had become unbearable.  
She left the refugees, and trotted around the city. The humming in her mind became irritating and she knew IT was near. She rounded a corner, and there IT was.  
She halted and just stared for a moment. IT appeared to be a black ball of some thick, oily-looking energy. But IT didn't stick to one shape. IT seemed to be constantly changing, and she couldn't quite get a clear image.  
IT was very bad, though, she knew that for sure.   
"AHHHHH..." IT breathed. "YOU SEEM QUITE FAMILIAR. YOU MUST BE THE ONE I HAVE FELT ALL THIS TIME."  
She frowned a little. "Why are you destroying these people?" she demanded.  
"I AM HUNGRY, STAR-SISTER. HUNGRY FOR WHAT I DO NOT HAVE...A SOUL..."  
"You will not have a soul by devouring others. You must be born with one."  
"BORN?" IT seemed to laugh.   
A small boy suddenly ran between them. He braked when he saw her, and froze completely at the sight of IT.  
IT lunged forward, and nothing was left of the boy but small bones. They crumbled into dust instantly, and she saw something bright swallowed by IT's darkness.  
"THE TASTE IS SO SWEET. BUT NOT AS SWEET AS YOUR SOUL, I IMAGINE. YOU ARE SO BRIGHT, STAR-SISTER."  
"TI'LEI!" Somebody screamed, and a young girl ran out, searching wildly around. Benjamin knew that the small boy had belonged to her.  
The evil entity seemed to grin, but Ben knew she could not allow this.  
**I need... need something to trap it... a box...**  
No sooner had she thought it, then the box appeared in her grasp. It was glass, and very strong, and seemed to glow with her magic.  
IT lunged for the girl, and Benjamin flung herself forward, holding the box out. She felt the weight of IT collide into the glass walls.  
IT shrieked, voiceless, and she felt the anger burning into her very core. IT couldn't escape now. She'd sealed the box with the strongest energy she could muster.  
For some reason, she didn't feel right.   
**You should've killed IT**, a voice tugged at her, **you should've fought IT.**  
She shook her head. IT was trapped, wasn't IT? What was wrong with that? She wasn't going to let anybody let it out...  
  
Later on, she convinced the natives of the planet that all was safe. They didn't seem to like her. Thought she was somehow in league with IT. They thought she was the one who had brought IT to their planet!!  
"But I am...am...IT's guardian!" she protested, realizing that was, indeed, what she was. Her very purpose in life had been discovered.  
They didn't believe her, and she was not one for violence. When they chained her up and forced her aboard their ship, she did not struggle. They left the box containing the evil on the planet.  
There were only a handful of the aliens left. Looking out the window of their spaceship, Benjamin had a clear view of their planet. It was blackened...dead...   
IT had done irreversible damage.  
The aliens eventually found a new planet to live on, and Benjamin did not feel the pull for a long long time. She knew, somehow, that nobody had disturbed the box.  
Sometimes, she felt the anger of IT in her mind, but that made her feel good...because she knew IT was still trapped....****  
  
******  
  
Sonic awoke with a killer headache. He sat up. "Man, what...where am I?"  
There were voices from above him. He saw that he was sitting next to a house, right next to an open window.  
"Oh yes, funeral arrangements have been made." Sonic frowned; this deep male voice sounded vaguely familiar.   
"I can't believe she's dead," came a choked female voice.   
He looked around, while the voices continued their conversation.  
It was a city of some sort. He could see other houses, and roads. There were overlanders and furries walking along. This particular house was up on a hill, and he could see more of the landscape. There was a wall surrounding this city, with watchtowers along it.  
He saw a flag fluttering from one of the towers and recognized it vaguely. It looked like the flag he'd seen in a history book during one of Julayla's incredibly boring lessons. It was hard to place it exactly; those lessons had been a long long time ago.  
It flapped and straightened out in a sudden gust of wind. The flag was black, with a circle in the middle. The circle was swirled in blue and green; a planet. Not Mobius though; Mobius had more land than that.  
**Wow! I know what it is now. The flag the Overlander rebels used in the Great War. That's their home planet...Earth, I think. Yeah, that's it.**  
"Fala, Fala, it's ok," the deep male voice crooned, and Sonic caught the sound of crying from the woman.  
**So...I'm in the Overlander city? Mondo weird!**  
"She's dead! How can you say it's ok!? You lived with her...why didn't you help her?!"  
"Well..."  
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT!! YOU WERE HOME WHEN SHE DIED! ALL SHE NEEDED WAS THOSE PILLS FOR HER HEART...AND YOU DIDN'T GIVE THEM TO HER! YOU MURDERER!!"  
"DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, FALA!" The male voice rose to a booming roar, and Sonic froze and flattened himself to the wall.  
He knew whose voice that was now.  
"You don't know how she was, Fala," his voice rasped. "She was crazy. She was insane."  
There was a slight gasp from Fala. "No. She got therapy for that. She was cured way long ago."  
"It didn't cure her completely." The man's voice was haunted. His voice came in shuddering, seemingly close to tears.   
"My wife...my child...they didn't die...they didn't die during childbirth like they said..."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Mother killed them. There was never an autopsy. When Lela was in labor... Mother was sitting in the back with her on the way to the hospital. She had one of those damn syringes with her. For her diabetes... It wasn't filled with insulin. Mother injected her with poison, Fala. She poisoned them because she hated Lela AND YOU KNOW IT!"  
"DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT OUR MOTHER LIKE THAT!!!"  
There was a strange noise from the male; something Sonic never thought he'd hear from that man. A sob.  
"She killed them...Fala, and I'm not sorry she died...I hope she suffered Fala, I hope with all my heart she suffered."  
"Get out." The female's voice went into a growl. "Get the hell out of my house."  
"I intended to. I'm going to the lab."  
A door slammed. Sonic felt it vibrate through the walls of the small house. Then he stood up and crept around to the front to see a portly man stamping down the sidewalk.  
He followed the man, and came alongside, although a fairly long distance away.  
The man had a short orange mustache. He seemed to have a weight problem. In a white lab coat and dark glasses, he looked harmless.  
But Sonic knew who it was. And he knew this man was not harmless.  
"Robotnik," he whispered. "Wow, man, back then...you looked almost sane..."  
  
They entered a busier part of town. Hovercars buzzed by. Overlanders peeked in the windows of shops, carrying heavy bags of already purchased items. A girl and guy walked by, holding hands, and giggling. Sonic felt a lump in his throat and stinging in his eyes.  
**Sally...I'll save you, Sally. I promise you that.**  
This seemed to be the shopping district. It was hard to believe there was a war going on.  
They entered another district; industry. Tall white buildings rose up, glittering with huge glass windows. Chain link fence, topped with buzzing laser-wire, surrounded some of them. Here the occasional solider strolled by, guns resting on their shoulders.  
Sonic noticed there were some Mobians in the troops. He'd known, but it was still startling. The Overlanders hadn't been all humans. Just the group that had started a rebellion against the Acorn kingdom. Most furries had stuck with their king. But some agreed with the Overlander's cause.  
Although it was a little distasteful to Sonic, knowing that some of his fellow Mobians had actually helped the humans, he was glad of it. Because he didn't look suspicious. Nobody would stop him for being a furry.  
He looked ahead, and saw Robotnik enter one of the white buildings. He followed.  
They were in a lobby of some type. Scientists, decked out in their lab coats, strolled around. One lady was banging on a vending machine and snarling. Sonic grinned; those damn things never worked.  
Julian entered an elevator and Sonic dared to sidle in beside him. A few more scientists entered, and the doors slid shut.  
Julian looked down at Sonic for a second, and the hedgehog half-expected him to scream, "RODENT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"   
But the fat man merely turned to one of the other scientists.  
"How is she today, Tobin?"  
"Well," said Tobin, a tall skinny man with a bad complexion and greasy black hair, "She's babbling that nonsense as usual."  
"She's quite off her rocker, eh?"  
Julian and Tobin both laughed, although Sonic detected tension in the air between them. These were two men who didn't get along.  
"What about the energy?"  
"We're still reading it, but none of our machines seem to be able to handle the energy outputs it's giving off. They're very powerful..."  
"Perhaps we should release it and see what happens."   
Sonic heard a familiar undertone in Julian's voice; evil, hunting...mad for power...  
He looked over at Tobin.  
**Man, he looks freaked.**  
The skinny scientist was nervously wringing his hands, his eyes widened. "No, no no. It's much much too..," he laughed nervously, "...early for that, Julian."  
"You're scared of it."   
Tobin frowned, and said nothing.  
"That's why you'll never amount to anything. You don't take risks. Power is there for the taking. But none of you see it..."  
Tobin opened his mouth, but the elevator came to an abrupt stop and the doors slid open.  
Julian swept out. Tobin stood, open-mouthed, then looked down at Sonic.  
"He's mad, you know," he said, rubbing his greasy hair. "He's truly mad."  
Sonic nodded. "Oh man, you have no idea."  
"Ever since his wife died, he's gotten worse and worse," continued Tobin, his voice lowering to a whisper. Sonic had a feeling this guy didn't have too many friends.   
"That's too bad, man," said Sonic, and made a quick exit, at the same time thinking...  
**I just can't imagine Robotnik with a wife! That's so freaky!**  
He went down the wide hallway, lined with open doors. Looking in, he could see they were various labs. At the end of the hall, where Julian was now standing, slipping a card into a slot, were two large double doors.  
**Must be something important in there. Maybe I should sneak in.**  
He revved up, and dashed down the hallway, slipping in the doors before they closed.  
The room they were in was big and the walls were metal. But it basically seemed like another lab. There were some computers and other machinery, but nothing special. On the far end of the room was another set of double doors, complete with black and yellow warning paint.  
**Ah, the important stuff is behind that door!**   
  
&&&&&&  
  
Two scientists were examining slides under microscopes, grumbling and writing notes. A scrawny boy was leaning his elbows on the lab counter, sipping cola through a straw. His back was to the door.   
Sonic watched as Julian laid his hand on the kid's head for a moment, patting the thick brown hair.  
"Hello, my boy. Cutting class, again?"  
There was a nod of affirmation.  
Julian shook his head. "Your father is going to be quite angry. But he won't find out."   
"I know. Thank you."   
Julian gave a curt nod and pressed a touchpad on the painted doors. A guard stood cross-armed on the other side. Upon seeing Julian, he stepped aside.  
Sonic tried to enter.  
"You can't come in," said the guard sternly. "You aren't authorized."  
"Yo, ok man."  
The doors slid closed. Sonic scratched his head.  
**Man...I know I gotta get in there. But why?** There was something in there...pulling at him.  
**Forget this, man. I gotta find that girl. She can tell me what's going on.**  
There was a mean laugh, and the scrawny boy's voice rang out. "Oh, you want to get in there, don't you? Too bad, you smeg."  
The kid clanked his soda can down on the counter and smirked at the hedgehog. "I'm allowed through. They let me."  
"Well, aren't you special?"  
**And aren't I lucky? Getting to meet all my enemies in one day, hey!**  
The kid had quite a familiar face, although it was far cuter and much more youthful than Sonic was accustomed to seeing.   
**Hey, and more hair, too!**  
The boy had an abundance of soft brown hair, falling into his eyes, cut rather messily. Some strands lay against his cheeks, others brushed his shoulders.   
**Bet one of his brothers or something got a holda of some scissors. Heh...** He laughed inwardly, remembering a childhood memory of convincing Antoine to get a hair cut. Sonic had botched the poor fox's hair so badly, that Antoine had considered wearing a bag on his head! He'd settled for a hat instead.  
"You're an animal too, bah," spat the kid, taunting further. "They'd never let you in." Narrowed and dark, his eyes belied their actual color, but Sonic knew they were a pale ice blue.  
"Well, get me in there then, Sni..." he stopped abruptly.  
The kid looked suspicious. "Why should I?"  
"Because, Needlenose, I want in."  
"Don't call me that, you little prick." The boy's fists clenched and he took a threatening step towards Sonic.  
"Whoa, whoa, sorry. Didn't know you were this feisty...hmm. How things have changed."  
"So fucking stupid. All you animals are."  
One of the scientists looked up from his slide and backhanded the boy.   
"I told you, don't use that kind of language in here, Snively. Or do you want to get sent home to your daddy, hmmm?" The scientist snatched the boy by the collar. "Oh, he'll beat your ass if he knows you're here, won't he? You just be glad that fat uncle of yours calls the school and makes excuses...otherwise they'd be calling your house. And if daddy found out you keep cutting..."  
"I get the fu...I mean...I get the point!" Sniv' squealed.  
"Fine."  
The scientist shoved Snively away.  
"Prick," he muttered under his breath, then looked at Sonic. "You want in, eh? We might be waiting a while."  
"I hate waiting," said Sonic.  
"Don't worry. I usually can get in there at least once a day."  
Sonic leaned against the wall and impatiently tapped his feet.  
After a while, he shut his eyes.  
The scientist who'd slapped Snively changed his slide and looked into the microscope. After adjusting the dials, he started laughing.  
"Eh, Rod, gotta another one of those."  
The other scientist took a peek into the microscope. "Oh man, that's a REAL good one!" He laughed so hard his face turned red.   
Sonic raised an eyebrow at Snively.  
"They're pathetic," the kid mummered.  
"Go get Toby, he'd want to see this one!" said Rod. He shoved the other scientist away and looked back into the scope.  
The other scientist went to the door and hit the touchpad. "Hey Toby, come see this!"  
The guard came into the lab, and saw Rod looking into the microscope. His face lit up with a smile. "Is that another one of those slides that looks like a pair of titties?"  
**Oh man...whatta bunch of geeks!** Although Sonic kinda wanted to take a peek at the slide himself. Snively grabbed his arm and pulled him through the unguarded doorway.  
"That happens almost everyday. Yesterday it was supposedly a naked woman. You ask me, a good fuck would clear up all those hallucinations they're having."  
Sonic could only nod.   
**Man, if I'd said them kinda swears as a kid, Uncle Chuck would've washed my mouth out with soap!**   
  
They were in the 'forbidden' room. They stood against the wall, and Sonic took in the surroundings.  
This was a big sterile room. The walls were polished steel. The ceiling was dotted with round, extremely bright lights. It took his eyes a minute to adjust, and he grimaced.   
In this white room were various computers and many different machines. Some were printing out documents, others flashing numbers and lines.   
There were two large glass containment chambers within the room. In one chamber was a cot and on this cot sat a girl...  
**The girl who was at Knothole!**  
She was sitting on the bed, head bowed and hands clasped between her legs.   
The scientists in this room, including Julian, didn't seem interested in her today. They were looking into the other chamber.   
This chamber had a metal podium. And on this podium sat a glass box. And in this box was something black...bouncing...humming...  
**Oh, sweet Mobius. That's that...that thing.**  
Through the glass walls he could hear the girl's voice. "IT will kill you all...Ah Gods..."  
Sonic's eyes darted back and forth between her and the box. His heart clenched in his chest, and he became aware of how bad he was shaking...and how hard he was pressed up against the wall...  
"That girl there," came Snively's voice, and Sonic jumped. He'd forgotten about the kid. Clenching his teeth...for what? To keep from screaming?  
"...is crazy."   
Sonic took a deep breath and breathed out slow.  
"What...what is that thing?"  
"IT was never meant to be found...IT will kill you all..." The girl's voice was whisper-quiet, yet it seemed to travel though the walls and into Sonic's very soul.  
"She says crap like that all the time." Snively looked over at the box, eyes narrowing. "Funny, I somewhat believe her...that...thing...gives me the creeps."  
"Do you know what it is?" Sonic asked again.   
"They found it...too afraid to open it...though my uncle, he's that fat one over there..."  
"Oh, don't I know," muttered Sonic.  
"Anyway, they...Earth...first found it on a dead planet...locked up in that box, just like it is now."  
Snively nonchalantly flipped some unruly hair out of his face, and Sonic nearly laughed at the gesture.   
"It started the 3rd World War, you know. All the countries were fighting over it. Finally, they all came up with a treaty. They shipped it back out into space. It was treason to retrieve it, treason against Earth itself!"  
"So, how'd you guys get ahold of it?"  
"Hmmm...well, not surprisingly another World War broke out. Dumb pricks had to fight over everything...it was really a bloody hell... My family came here....but anyway...the Star ship we were on was filled with scientists. Our ship came upon the box...they knew what it was. So they picked it up and brought it with us to Mobius..."  
"These readings are unbelievable... If only we could find some way to harness this energy." Julian's voice echoed throughout the room.   
"We don't even know what the hell it is yet, Julian," grumbled another scientist, a tall blond fellow with an unkempt beard.   
"It's powerful." Julian ran a pudgy finger along the glass. "Very powerful... Can't you feel it?"  
Sonic watched, as like a chain reaction, a shudder ran through all the scientists and the black energy seemed to expand and press against the box, as if trying to touch Julian.  
The fat man withdrew his finger, and shivered. "Perhaps more testing is necessary."  
Sonic looked for a long long moment between Julian's face and the black IT in the box. **Think I've finally seen something more evil than Ro-butt-nik. Man, how do we get ridda this thing?**  
The girl still had her head bowed, wild brown hair hanging down and hiding her face. He took a step towards her glass prison.  
"I wouldn't get too near her," Snively warned. "She's crazy. She won't leave here...no matter how many times they tried to kick her out. She says she saw visions...says it's her 'duty to guard IT'." He shrugged. "So, they made her a test subject...she doesn't have a family..."  
"She isn't crazy," Sonic said.  
"Oh, how would you know, prick! Have you met her before?"  
"Yeah, maybe I have!"  
"You're a fucking liar. You've never been here before...everyone would've noticed a stupid looking animal like you. Who ever heard of a blue hedgehog, anyway?"  
"Who's ever seen a nose that big?"   
"Little prick! Think you're funny?!"   
Sonic found himself on the floor suddenly, jaw aching. The little bastard had swung at him! Sonic jumped up and threw a punch back, slamming Sniv' right in the face.   
He expected Snively to cry and whine, but Sniv's child counterpart was rather spirited. He lunged at Sonic, pushing the hedgehog against the wall, and hitting him hard in the face.   
Sonic shoved him away, and was about to deliver a hard kick, when the girl looked up.  
Sonic saw her green eyes rest on him for a moment, and then widen.  
  
**I have seen him before...ah yes. I remember now! He is the one that I sent back to inform...**  
She grimaced a little. Her own powers sometimes scared her. Sometimes, she could see things that hadn't happened yet...like predicting the future. But she could never quite see all the way...   
**How will it all end in the end?**  
Yet she knew that this hedgehog was here to see her....sent by herself.   
**I know what will happen, yes...I can see it now. I must tell him NOW!!**  
"From the future...the blue one!! You can't let it happen again!!!"  
  
"OW!" Sonic hit the wall again, nose bleeding. He sneezed.  
"All right, Needlenose, I've had about enough of you." Sonic kicked out, hitting Sniv' hard in the stomach. The boy collapsed to his knees, and doubled over, wheezing in pain.  
"What's going on!?" Julian bellowed. "How'd you kids get in here? TOBY!!!"  
Sonic ran to the girl's chamber; pressed his hands against the glass. "Tell me what to do...tell me what to do!"  
"I know...I know your loss..." she gasped, her eyes wide, the pupils small black dots... I see EVERYTHING that is tied to IT..."  
The guard Toby came into the room. "Damn kids. How the hell they keep sneaking in here?" He grabbed Snively roughly up by the hair and strode towards Sonic.  
"Hey! Leggo!" The guard had a firm grip on Sonic's arm, and pulled him away from the glass chamber.   
"TELL ME!" he shrieked...because oh...if she didn't tell him what to do...he couldn't stop IT...and IT would have Sally's soul...and he could still hear that scream of hers...trapped...  
"Go back, back but not all the way. Back a day before the fat man found IT..."  
The guard dragged them from the room.  
The doors slid shut, but not before she shrieked one more time. "THE FAT MAN CANNOT GET IT...YOU MUST GET TO IT FIRST!!! IT'S IN THE WATER, BLUE ONE!!! IN THE WATER!!"  
Toby threw them onto the floor and then returned to the room to guard his post.  
The two scientists were still giggling over the slide. "Hell man, s'almost better than porn."  
Snively rubbed his head and glared at Sonic. "Look what you did, you little prick. Got me in fucking trouble." He shot a glance over at the scientists, who glared back.  
"You cuss one more time, and I'm calling your father. Julian makes those damn excuses so you can cut your classes, then what does he do? Expects us to babysit your little punk ass."  
"Like you're doing anything. Laughing over some bacteria that looks like tits? Why don't you get yourself a goddamn woman, you fucking loser?"  
"That's it. I've had about enough of you." The scientist got up, and once again, Snively found his hair captive as the scientist grabbed a handful of the tresses and dragged him over to a telephone.  
The scientist opened the computerized phone-book, touching a finger to a number. Obviously knew very well where it was.  
"Hey. Your little brat is here...again...Oh...Fala. Is that you? Sorry, ma'am. I thought Beau was home...no? At work? Well, hey, congratulations!"  
Snively wrenched away, leaving long strands of hair in the scientist's closed fist, but the man didn't seem to notice.  
"He has a crush on my mother," sneered the human. "He'll be talking to her for quite a while. Why don't we get out of here?"  
"All right," agreed Sonic, although he watched the human warily. **Don't wanna get punched again...ow. That hurt.**  
  
They exited the laboratory and strolled down the long hallway. They entered the elevator, which was crowded. Tobin was there, nervously flipping through a notepad and scribbling in something with a pencil.  
"What's got you so scared?"   
Tobin looked down at Snively. "Quite frankly, your uncle..."  
"He's a maniac, isn't he?" laughed the boy. "But he's better than some people I know. I'm moving out of my house soon. I'm going to be Julian's apprentice."  
"That's not a good idea, trust me," said Sonic, and Tobin nodded.  
"I don't think Julian would be good to you."  
"Bah," spat the kid, leaning against the elevator wall. "Anyone is better than that piece of shit I have to call father..."  
"Hey trust me, you don't wanna be joining up with Robotn...I mean Julian."  
Snively looked at Sonic suspiciously. "What did you say?"  
"I said, you don't wanna be joining up with Julian."  
"Before that."  
"Nothing."  
"You said something about robots."  
"I didn't say nothing!"  
"My uncle sometimes says he's going to change his name. I don't rightly remember...but it was something to do with robots. A really dumb name."  
Sonic closed his eyes and didn't say anything.  
Tobin scribbled something else on his notepad, then blurted out nervously, "That energy scares the bejesus out of me. I don't think we should be messing with it. I think we should get rid of it." He shivered suddenly. "There was a reason they threw it out into space."  
"Yes, to stop the war," said Snively.  
"No...the first time..."  
A strange look came into the boy's eyes, no doubt imagining just how the box had ended up on the dead planet.  
**Whoever put it there was pretty smart. That thing is mondo mondo scary...**  
"Maybe one of these days, I'll get rid of it," muttered Tobin... "But don't you tell your uncle, Snively...please...he'll go mad..."  
"I won't. But if he finds out, don't tell him I knew..."  
The elevator came to a halt. They exited. Tobin went to the coffee machine, while Snively and Sonic left the building altogether.  
"What was that lady screaming about? You acted like you knew."   
Sonic looked over at the young boy, brow wrinkled with thought. "Um...nothing really."  
"But she seemed to know you..."  
"Look Sniv-meister, it's been nice talkin' with ya, but I have something really important to do."  
Sniv' shrugged. "All right."  
Sonic prepared to rev up, but before he did, he turned and looked at the kid one more time. He was scuffing at the ground with worn boots, hair falling into his eyes.   
"Hey, Sniv'...I really meant what I said back in the elevator. You really oughta not join up with your uncle. It's a mondo uncool thing to do..."  
Then he revved up and raced off down the street.  
  
Snively picked himself off the pavement, gaping after the hedgehog...wherever he'd went...  
Then he frowned. How did that blue bugger know so much? And about Julian...was it a good idea to team up with him?  
He looked in the direction of his house, saw it there perched up on the hill.  
**I'd rather die than stay there...**  
And so, the hedgehog's warning went unheeded...  
  
  
Sonic pulled out the Timestones. For a second, he held them in his hand.  
**I could do something right now. Bust back in that lab and steal the box...  
But the girl said to go back. Fine then.**  
He pressed the Timestones together, and thought of Robotropolis...a day before Knothole's annihilation... 


	3. i'm looking for something you stole

Part Three  
I'm looking for something you stole  
  
**Benjamin had been out with some of the alien children on a cloudy misty day.  
Well, everyday was pretty much like that. The aliens had finally, after much searching, found a planet suited to their needs. They had settled right away. The planet was practically all rainforest.   
Benjamin wasn't sure how long she'd been with them. Some of them had died during the journey, and others from, well, old age she supposed.   
She didn't know whether they had very short lives, or if she had been alive for a very long time. She supposed it was the latter. She had been alive for what seemed like centuries.  
The aliens trusted her now. Some of this generation weren't alive when the evil had demolished their planet. But even the elders had decided that she had nothing to do with the destruction.  
She was splashing and playing in a water hole with the alien children that day.  
"Ack! I got water in my ear!" She laughed and shook her head. The children squealed as water droplets hit them, and hit the water with their tiny hands, splashing her all over again.  
"Oh, you are so naughty!" she chuckled. A small boy climbed upon her shoulders, demanding she play. She scooped him in her arms and tossed him high in the air. He splashed down in the water curled like a cannonball.  
Ben laughed heartily, but suddenly stiffened. The children threw water on her, but she stood straight and still, green eyes unblinking.   
"What's the matter, Benjamin?"   
The boy turned and looked in the direction she was staring, but saw nothing.   
"BEN! Whatsa matter with you!"  
She blinked, and shivered. A strange tingling sensation was tugging at her soul...she sank down in the water, and hugged herself.  
**Oh no...oh no...someone has touched IT...someone has found the box...but how...**  
She straightened up and grabbed the children. They protested and struggled, but she held them firmly and ran back to the village. After depositing them back in their mothers' hands, she bade the elders of the village farewell.  
"Why you leave?"  
"Someone has discovered the evil. I must make sure IT never escapes again."  
The elders nodded solemnly, their eyes haunted. "Go, then and quickly, dear Benjamin. We shall miss you."  
She hugged them tight, planting a kiss on each of their wrinkled foreheads.  
Then she fled.  
  
She followed the 'pull' like a bloodhound on the scent trail. The planet was only a few light years away.  
Her search led her to a place of scientists and labs. The inhabitants seemed to be large skinless creatures, and some furred ones like herself.  
She found IT, kept under close security in some sort of laboratory. To her relief, they had not unleashed the evil, but they were quite curious about IT.  
She knew IT could influence the mind. Hypnotize people. Some people were immune to it. Most people were afraid of IT, and rightly so, so they weren't likely to be influenced. However, evil or power-mad people just might be tempted by IT's whispered influence.  
Tempted, and then devoured when they got too close to IT or had served their purpose...  
IT wasn't supposed to be able to reach through the glass box. She was quite relieved that so far IT hadn't!  
"You must let me enter...I am IT's guardian."  
"Lady, look. This is a restricted area."  
Eventually, they allowed her entrance, after learning she had no family. She knew they had some dark intent in doing so. She was a nobody, somebody they could use for a test subject with no repercussions.   
She learned to accept the needles they jabbed into her, and the strange tests they ran...some painful...   
She was kept in close proximity to the evil, and as long as her eyes rested upon IT...still caged in IT's glass prison...she was happy.  
  
******  
  
A day before the evil was found: Robotropolis.  
  
Robotnik sneezed.  
He was in an old storage room, looking through dusty papers, and old discs.   
Packbell poked his head in.  
"Sir, what are you doing?"  
"Ah, just looking through these old files. Might be some abandoned projects or such that I could put to a good use now."  
"Hmm...hope ya find something good."   
Robotnik heard Packbell's footsteps fade away as he left. He picked up a folder, and out fell a photograph. He bent down to retrieve it, grunting at the effort.  
He examined it, a small smile tugging at his fat lips. Seemed it was an old photo, back when he was Warlord for the king.   
**Yes, I remember this. This was taken after we defeated the Overlanders.**  
His eyes wandered over everyone in the picture. There was King Acorn, laughing, and looking quite noble in his robes and crown.  
**Fool.**  
A young Princess Sally, her back to the camera, little fists clenched at the one behind her, Sonic. The hedgehog was laughing and Robotnik scowled a little.   
**That wretched beast. Your time will come...**  
There was General D'Coolette, one who had never liked Robotnik. But where was he now? **Ah yes**, remembered Robotnik. **Roboticized**. His voice boomed out in a laugh.  
Julian, of course, was the largest figure in the room, looking quite imposing in the coattail outfit he'd worn as Warlord.  
**I actually quite liked that outfit. Should've kept it...Ah well. This one suits me better.**  
In front of Robotnik was his scrawny nephew, back when he'd had hair. Robotnik grinned a little at seeing that. It was funny; he remembered how much Snively used to pride that hair of his...and how teary-eyed he'd been the day he lost it...  
**Hmmm...now that I think about it...how did he lose it? Bah, who cares?**  
His eyes moved over more of the figures. Lots of friends of the Acorn family. More of those little freedom fighter brats. And another Overlander.  
**Who is that...ah, now I remember. That is Tobin.**  
That's right...Tobin had joined the Acorn Kingdom also. He'd actually joined before Julian had.   
The laboratory had a bounty on his head, Robotnik remembered. But for what?   
He remembered that Tobin had disappeared one day, and the Overlander laboratory had put out a reward for his capture.  
He wrinkled his brow, thinking good and hard.   
**He stole something...I recall that....**  
Something was coming to him... He remembered that lab. He'd only gone there occasionally...because he didn't usually work in that part of the building. But he was beginning to remember a certain room... Bright lights...huge...a strange lady...glass chambers...  
He held his breath, and put his hands to his temples, rubbing, as if trying to stimulate his brain into remembering more.  
Soft footsteps distracted him, and he looked up with a hideous frown.  
**Who dares...especially when I almost had it...!**  
"Um...sir, sorry to disturb you, but..."  
"You'd better be sorry!!" roared Robotnik.  
Snively jumped, not expecting such outrage. "Sorry sir, very sorry," he quickly blurted.  
"What do you want?!"  
**Why is he so angry?** Snively backed away, feeling himself start to tremble. He tried to regain his composure, but Robotnik's face was terribly angry, and now his fists were clenching...  
"Um...well, sir...uh..."  
"SPIT IT OUT!!"   
Robotnik grabbed his nephew by the collar and slammed him up against the wall.  
**I hate it when he does this...his breath reeks!** Sniv' squirmed, but Robotnik had no intentions of letting him go. He jutted his face into his nephew's, long mustache brushing the smaller man's face.  
"What is it you want to tell me, Snively?! I'm busy at the moment!"  
"Well, sir...due to the improvements...um...that you devised for the factories last week..."  
"Yes?!"  
**Goddamn, let me finish, you fatass. Make me do your goddamn dirty work...don't give me any fucking credit...**  
"YES?!"  
Sniv' let out a shriek, murderous thoughts fleeing from his head. With Robotnik's breath blasting his face, he choked and gagged, unable to breathe for a moment. For that, he received a severe shaking.  
"The factories have a power output better by 30 percent, sir!"  
Robotnik relaxed, and released his nephew. "That's good, Snively."  
**You bet your fat ass it's good...fucking good in fact...IEEEE!**  
The fist had him again, and Robotnik's huge teeth filled his vision as the fat man snarled.  
"However, Snively...I was expecting 50 percent. WHERE IS MY FIFTY PERCENT, SNIVELY!!?"  
His head connected with the wall several times as Robotnik drew him back and slammed him into it. He saw white for a moment, and then a blur of color as his eyes watered.  
"We did all...all the improvements you came up with, sir!...but the best we got was thirty percent, sir, I SWEAR!"  
"Are you saying, Snively, that there was something wrong with my plans!?"  
"No, sir, not at all," his nephew grimaced and rubbed at his head, "but I think you might've miscalculated the results..."  
"YOU THINK?" Robotnik spat, spraying his nephew's face with spittle. He turned and threw the little wretch into the pile of boxes he'd been going through.  
Snively curled up, covering his head with his hands. Robotnik's boots came towards him and stopped, inches from his face. He could hear his uncle's breath, coming in deep and growling.  
**Damn, he's really angry now...Godamn this! It's not my fault! It's his fau...**  
Thoughts cut off as if snipped by scissors. Robotnik's foot slammed into his ribs, and he writhed among the papers, struggling to breathe.  
"I WANT MORE POWER, SNIVELY!!! MORE POWER!!! YOU HEAR ME, YOU LITTLE PRICK!?"  
"More power," choked out his nephew, curling up and clutching his side. "Owww..."  
Robotnik sighed and picked up some of the scattered papers.   
"This city cannot run without energy, and those wretched freedom fighters..." Robotnik had to breathe in deep and close his eyes hard, fighting back the anger. **Mustn't lose my composure again...**  
"...keep shutting down our generators and destroying our factories..."  
"Sir, I'll try my best, but I'm afraid that's the maximum energy output we can get..." Sniv' climbed to his feet, where he swayed unsteadily.  
Robotnik turned around and stared his nephew dead in the eye.   
Snively wilted like a plant deprived of water; shoulders drooping, even his hair seemed less perky.  
Robotnik took a step closer to his nephew. His foot slid upon something. He looked down.  
It was the photograph. His eyes lighted on Tobin for a second...  
He moved one foot forward.   
Snively's eyes widened in fear, his mouth opening to protest.  
"That will not be the maximum output of energy..."  
Robotnik's eyes went back to the photo.  
Tobin.  
Energy.  
Tobin...energy...Tobin stole something...the bounty on his head...they wanted it back...  
**The energy!! In the box...I remember...I remember, the black energy...he stole it from the lab and ran away to the Acorn Kingdom!**  
His eyes went wide and he clenched his hands together, almost shaking in giddiness...  
"That's it...that's what will KILL THOSE FREEDOM FIGHTERS!!!!"  
"Sir?"  
Robotnik grabbed Snively by the shoulders, grinning as he shook the little man. "Go prepare the deroboticizer, Snively. NOW!"  
"The deroboticizer?! But...but you never use..."  
"NOW SNIVELY!!!" Robotnik threw his lackey towards the door.   
  
****  
Robotnik was impatient.  
The deroboticizer stood silently. The bottom panel was open, and Snively's legs were sticking out. Robotnik could hear the clinks and metallic sounds as Sniv' fiddled with the internal components. The deroboticizer had never been used before.  
"Snively, are you finished yet?" he growled.   
**He's so slow. Maybe he needs a good session of shock therapy after this... he's been getting lazy lately...**  
"Almost sir," came the muffled reply.  
"Well, hurry it up!"   
Robotnik looked at his nephew's legs and lower torso sticking out, and was strongly tempted to smash one of his feet, or kick him in the nuts.   
He resisted the temptation.  
A few minutes passed and Sniv' slid out from the compartment and brushed his hands together. "I believe it's ready to go, sir."  
"This had better work, Snively. If not..." He ended on a growl, but his nephew understood perfectly.  
"Well...well...um, there might be some glitches, since it's never been used...but I think it'll work, sir..."  
Robotnik ignored his nephew this time, and tapped into a computer. He searched among the files of all the prisoners they'd taken over the years. He'd been meticulous in keeping the records...and it was paying off now.  
**'T's....Taffy...Tracker...no...that's 'tr', Ah, here it is. Tobin Greenman. There you are, my old friend. Hmm...roboticized...working in the water refineries...Workerbot #057893. **  
"Snively!"  
"Yes sir?"   
Robotnik turned around and grinned toothily at his nephew. Sniv' nervously smiled back, hands clasped behind his back.  
"Go fetch me Workerbot #057893."  
Sniv' quickly memorized the numbers and nodded.  
"He should be working in the water refineries."  
"Yes sir, right away."  
Robotnik waited until his nephew had run from the room, then let out a hideous laugh.  
  
****  
  
"Ah man, what a great place to wake up!" exclaimed the blue hedgehog.  
He had arrived back in the present time, and the first thing that greeted him was an eyeful of his most hated city, Robotropolis.   
He was sitting near some building. A factory of some sort. He could hear the churning of gears, and beside him was a large pipe, which his shoulder was leaning against. It was cold to the touch, and when he pressed his ear to it, he could hear the rush of water flowing through it.   
**Must be by the bay or something.**   
He could hear the crashing of water upon rocks and sand. He rounded the building, walking cautiously.   
He could see the bay. The waters crashed upon the dirty rocks, foaming up with more than salt. That was a poison sea now, thanks to Robotnik.   
**Man, where am I gonna find that evil box thingy?**  
He heard the footsteps of SWATS. He raced to the shoreline, hiding behind one of the large stones.  
He peeked out and saw two SWATs, followed by Snively stop at the water refinery.  
"All right," said the little man, "look in there for Workerbot number... damn! What was that number..."  
He grumbled for a second before blurting out, "Ah yes! 057893!"  
The bots nodded and went into the factory. Sonic thought of sneaking away, but decided it was easier to just wait.  
While keeping his eye on the Sniv-miester, who was kicking rocks and muttering curses under his breath, he thought over what the lady had said.  
**Ok...she said that I had to get it before Ro-butt-nik did... Thanks, lady. I already knew that! Whoa!**  
He ducked his head quickly behind the rocks as Sniv' turned his way.  
He heard the little guy growl, and half-expected SWATs to come running towards his hiding place.  
"This goddamn headache!"  
Sonic stifled a laugh.  
He heard the SWATs feet clank out of the water refinery.  
"Well?! Is he in there?"  
"No, sir."  
There was a large sigh. "Fiiineeee, let's check the next one."  
Sonic waited until the SWAT footsteps faded away before coming out behind the rock.  
He looked at the water refinery. He could smell the bay behind him; nasty, fishy, dirty.   
**Must take a lotta energy to clean that water.**  
He narrowed his eyes.  
Water.  
He turned and looked at the bay.  
**She said...it was in the water...** He looked at the foaming waves. **I wonder...is it in the bay?**  
It had to be. But how did it get there?  
He stood, frowning for a while.   
There was the clanking of metal feet. The SWATs were coming back. He ducked behind the rock again.  
They seemed to have found who they were looking for. Sniv' was followed by the two SWATs, plus a taller Overlander-bot.   
There was something very familiar about the robot. The glasses. The hair, even though it was made of metal, had a familiar shape to it.   
**Dude, I know! It's that scientist guy! Tobin, yeah. That's his name. That's the dude who wanted to get rid of the box.**  
He looked out in the bay.   
**Well, the girl was pretty right about everything so far... I guess I'll have to check it out...**  
He stuck his shoe into some of the foam on the beach and grimaced.   
**Ah man, how am I gonna do this? Who knows where it is! I can't even swim that good!**  
He wondered how Robotnik had gotten it out. **Scubadiving? Submarine?  
Submarine, duh! I'll just borrow Tail's "Seafox" for a while. Perfect!**   
He grinned and zoomed back to Knothole.  
&&&&&&  
  
Robotnik grinned at the workerbot now standing inside the deroboticizer.  
"Soon, my old friend, you will give me the key to annihilating those freedom fighters!" He laughed and pounded the control console in glee.  
"Who is that, exactly?" asked Snively, and Robotnik whirled around.  
"You're still in here? Leave at once!"  
Sniv' looked surprised. "But, don't you need me to..."  
"Do you think I'm stupid!?"  
"No, sir, not at all...it's just that..." **You always make me do all the work, you fat piece of shit...**  
"GET OUT!"   
Snively turned tail and skittered from the room. Robotnik watched the doors slide shut, chuckling.  
Then he turned to the deroboticizer. The controls were similar to the roboticizer. He assumed the large red button meant 'START', so he pressed it down. The room was bathed in blue light as the tube lit up. The workerbot inside became only a silhouette, but it was clear that it was changing...  
  
****  
Tobin knew where he was. How? Because even roboticized, the mind is still alive...and still knows exactly what's going on.  
The tube slid back up into the ceiling and Tobin crouched on the platform, brushing his hair out of his eyes. His skin and clothes were beaded with moisture from the deroboticization process.  
"Ah, it worked!" Robotnik exclaimed.   
**I suppose I can let Snively off with the shock therapy...then again, he could always use a little motivation to work harder...**  
Tobin stood up and moved backwards warily. He was surprised he didn't feel tired or weak. "What do you want, Julian?"  
"Surely, you know of my name change? I am now Robotnik."  
"Whatever. What do you want?"  
"Come with me, Tobin, and we'll have a nice chat." Robotnik gestured to a SWAT who stood guard near the door. Tobin backed away, but the SWAT grabbed his arm.  
They left the room and went down the hallway, before turning into another room.  
The door slid open, and Tobin balked at seeing the interior of the room. There was a chair in the middle of the room, and Tobin recognized it as an interrogation chair.  
**Which means I'm going to get tortured!**  
"Julian...really, we don't have to go through this... Just tell me what you want..."  
"Have a seat, have a seat," Robotnik beckoned to the chair, smiling widely.  
The SWAT forcefully pushed the scientist into the chair, and snapped on the restraints. Tobin gulped.  
"Well, Tobin, I know it's been a long long time...but I'm looking for something that you stole."  
Tobin gave him a questioning look. Even after being roboticized for years and years, his hair was regaining its old greasy looks.   
Robotnik sighed and smiled. "You left the Overlander country for a reason because you'd stolen something very valuable from the laboratory."  
Tobin's eyes widened and Robotnik knew he knew.  
"Where is it?"  
"No...no! I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't steal anything!"  
Robotnik walked around the chair, trailing his fingers along the back. Tobin trembled nervously. Pausing behind the chair, Robotnik lifted up the electroshock headband that dangled from wires embedded in the chair. This particular chair was wired specifically for electro-torture. He pressed the headband down firmly onto Tobin's head.  
"What...what is that?"   
"Just a little motivation for you, my old friend. I like to call it 'shock therapy.'. If Snively was here, he could tell you how very effective it is in making people talk. Or scream...in his case."  
Tobin shook more severely. "You'd do that to your own nephew?"  
Robotnik grinned toothily. "Oh yes. The little bastard brings it upon himself... Much as you're doing, Tobin. Why not just tell nice Dr. Robotnik where IT is?"  
Tobin gulped again, straining his skinny wrists against the bonds. "I don't know, Julian!"   
"Ah well." Robotnik picked up the remote that controlled the headband. He turned the knob a little, and Tobin felt a slight tingling sensation through his veins.  
Robotnik turned the knob slowly, smiling as Tobin's face grew distressed. He was feeling it now.   
**Oh, it won't take long for you, Tobin. Soon, you'll be squealing like a pig. Too bad...I almost like the stronger ones better. It's always more pleasing to break something when it takes more effort to break it...**  
He turned the power up, ever so slowly. Tobin gasped, fingers gripping the armrest. The dial turned more.  
Tobin's fingers turned white, and his teeth clenched.   
Robotnik's fat fingers turned the dial higher. He saw Tobin's head tilt back, and his eyes sparkle with tears.   
**Hmmm...he's tougher than I thought. That will change.**  
With a twist of his hand, the dial went into the higher levels. Tobin let out a scream, his body jerking in the bonds. Spittle dribbled down his chin as he thrashed. His skin crackled with electricity.  
Robotnik inched the knob up a little further, then left it, watching as Tobin's body shook with the punishment.   
Tobin voiced a cracked shriek.   
Robotnik sighed.   
It wasn't nearly as nice a scream as others he'd heard. Females usually had the best. High and sweet. **That's because females are weak. No pain tolerance.** Children were probably the best after females. Either gender of children was nice, because both had high voices. Robotnik liked high voices, because it seemed the higher the voice, the more pain was expressed.  
**Even when I torture men, their voices go much higher.** It was a wonderful sound!  
His third favorite scream was from his own nephew. Sniv' had a wonderful scream. What was more surprising was that, even with his weak lungs, Sniv' could still produce quite powerful sounds.   
**They go right through you.** He shivered. **Exquisite.**  
Tobin's shriek, cracked and dusty, sounded like an old weak man's. It was unimpressive.  
Robotnik watched as the crotch of the scientist's pants grew wet. He just loved it when they pissed themselves. It was like...the ultimate submission...the highest fear...  
He turned down the voltage and allowed Tobin to recover somewhat.  
"Do you remember now?" he asked pleasantly.  
Tobin's eyes were wide with fear. He whimpered. "Julian...Ju...please...you can't mess with it...it's dangerous...!"  
The voltage went up again. Tobin jumped and shrieked.   
Robotnik turned the knob to off.   
"You don't understand. I WANT it **because** it's dangerous. Because it'll kill certain vermin that have been plaguing me these past years..."  
Tobin sobbed as Robotnik's hand went to the dial, tapping it threateningly. "FINE!" he screamed. "I'LL TELL YOU!!"  
"That's more like it!"   
Tobin coughed. "May I have a drink first?"  
Robotnik filled a glass from the lab sink in the room, and handed it to Tobin. The scientist drank it and then wearily dropped it to the floor. It was plastic, and bounced off harmlessly.  
"I stole it from the lab, you're right... I took it cause it wasn't something anyone had a right to be messing with. They...whoever it was...put it on that dead planet for a reason..."  
"Oh, but I know why. They were weak, like you. Cowards. Afraid of having all that power."  
Tobin trembled at the mad light in Robotnik's eyes. "You're just as crazy as you've ever been."  
Robotnik laughed.  
"Tell me more."  
Tobin shut his eyes, looking nauseous. "I was afraid to touch it...but that crazy lady...you remember her? She begged me to let her out...she told me about that thing...IT's evil! I let her out too and took the box. She followed me. We hid out for a while. But I found out the lab had put a high price on my head. I had to get out of there. So we went to the Acorn Kingdom."  
"So, the energy is here?"  
"Yes."  
"Where?"  
There was the sound of gulping, and Tobin's fingers clenched on the arms of the chair. "I...I..can't..."  
Robotnik shrugged and turned the knob. As Tobin thrashed and cried, he picked up the plastic glass and returned it to its spot on the lab counter.   
Tobin sagged back into the chair as the voltage shut off.   
"Now, tell me where it is!"  
Tobin whimpered and sobbed again, snot and tears dripping down his face.  
**Pathetic. So pathetic.** Robotnik smiled contentedly. He knew he was going to get what he wanted, and he liked it.   
"When...When I came to the Acorn Kingdom...I went across the sea... When I came to the shore near Mobotropolis, I threw the box into the bay!"  
Robotnik's eyes lit up. **It...it was so close! All this time. All these years of fighting those beasts, and their doom was lying at the bottom of the bay! Well...now their time has surely come!**  
  
***  
  
The tideline of Robotropolis calmed in the late afternoon wind. The waves crept silently upon the dark sands, coming to stop a few feet before a pair of red sneakers and large green feet.  
Sonic hopped upon Dulcy's back, unstrapping the bonds that had held the miniature submarine to her belly.  
She sighed. "Whew, that was a lotta weight to be luggin' around! So, whatcha gonna do with it?"  
"I'm lookin' for something. Don't stick around, it might take me awhile. Just help me push this thing into the water."  
Sonic entered the submarine through the top hatch.   
"Good luck finding whatever it is!" said Dulcy, before Sonic closed the hatch.   
She lifted it up and brought it to deeper waters. She released it gently, and waved, even though she knew Sonic couldn't see her.  
**Don't get in any trouble, Sonic! Sally'll have a fit!**  
She watched the sky for hovercraft or any other dangers, then took flight back to Knothole.  
  
  
Sonic cruised through the dark water. Strange fish swam around him, luminous in the single headlight of the small craft.  
He shuddered at their bulging eyes and thin bodies; their skin with its irregular scales, and long tails that seemed to ooze out behind them like trailing entrails...  
The controls, having been made specifically for the young Tails, were simple and easy to use. Sonic brought the submarine lower in the water.   
**Man, lookit all this crap down here. Nasty.**  
The submarine seemed to be stationary. The water was so thick...  
**Probably just one of those optical illusion thingys. It's just water.**  
Something indescript, but very slimy looking, hit the windshield, and Sonic grimaced.  
**Very dirty water!**  
He played the headlight over the water, sweeping it in wide arcs. He saw nothing but the sea animals, garbage, and darkness.  
He sighed and kept going.  
**Maybe I should go deeper.**  
He did so, and saw bottom. The sand was black and glittered in some spots. Others were covered with what looked like thick oil.  
**Oil floats, though. Some kind of crap, then. Nasty, whatever it is.**  
He scooted along, watching white crabs and insect-like creatures scurry out of the light. Up ahead, he saw a school of tiny fish scatter. The light glinted off their scales; making them appear like silver ribbons.  
After they scattered, something continued to glint. He thought maybe it was a stray fish, lost from the school, but it wasn't moving.  
Curious, he went closer.  
Through the windshield, he saw a glass box, half buried in the sand. His heart clenched in his chest. Something was in it...black, dark...blacker than the water even... forming shapes, but never for more than a second.  
He shook his head hard, then looked through the periscope for a closer view.  
"That's definitely it," he muttered.   
He examined the control panel. There was a button that was marked 'claw.' Below it was a small monitor and below that was a small joystick. He pressed the button and saw a view of the water and a long piece of metal almost out of sight of the camera.  
He took a look out of the periscope and saw there was a long metal 'arm' complete with a claw on the end, jutting out from the side of the sub. He grinned.  
He went back to the control panel, and moved the joystick. As he suspected, it moved the claw. He maneuvered the claw until it was above the box. At the top of the joystick was a button; he pressed that down and was pleased to see the claw open.  
Keeping the button pressed down, he moved the claw above the box. The fingers of the claw slid down on the sides of the glass, and he gently released the button. The claw gripped the box tight.  
**Hope it don't break it.**  
He controlled the claw; moving it back up against the submarine.   
**Now what?**  
He figured he just had to keep the box close to the submarine and hope he didn't slam into anything.  
  
  
He brought the submarine as close to the beach as possible, but had to wade through the water anyway. He grimaced in disgust. The box was in his arms.  
He looked back at the sub, frowning.  
**Hmmm. Maybe I should've told Dulcy to stay. What am I gonna do with that thing? Tails'll be pissed if I lose it.**  
He looked down at the box, and the shapeless black thing made him shiver so severely that he nearly dropped it.  
**I... I think maybe this is more important.**  
And he ran down the beach.  
  
  
"Where am I gonna find that lady?" Sonic was wondering aloud, when he neared a cave along the beach.   
A figure came stumbling out. Sonic braked, but couldn't stop in time. He collided with her.  
The box went flying.  
He jumped up and over her, and nabbed the box out of midair. He turned and saw the girl struggling to her feet, her face frantic.  
"It's all right, lady. It ain't broke," he assured her.  
She let out a breath. "You are the blue one...the one meant to help..."  
He frowned a little; he never had liked mysterious-type stuff.   
"Hey lady, how come you didn't get this thingy outta the bay yourself?"  
She looked tired, and rubbed her eyes. "I have been asleep. For a long time. It was the only thing to do, since the evil was untouchable in the water..."  
"If you were here all the time, then how come ole Ro-butt-nik found it?"  
"I have been asleep...when the city men touched it, I awoke. But I was not able to stop the fat city man in time... he let IT out... That cannot happen again."  
"Yeah, I can't keep going back in time over and over," laughed the hedgehog.  
The basenji looked rather somber. "We must get IT away from this place..."  
"I'm with ya...uh Miss..." he stared pointedly at her. She gave him a blank look.  
"Your name?" he prompted.  
"My name is Benjamin," she replied, and she took off at a fast trot. He followed her, holding the evil box in his arms. He wanted to use his super speed, but figured they were doing fine. She seemed disoriented as it was.  
**Who is this lady?  
How does she know me?  
What kinda connection does she have with this box?**  
  
****  
  
-Sigh-  
**I'm bored**, thought Snively boredly, as he boredly stared at the computer console for no good reason. The lights were dimmed, as his ole Uncle Julian was napping in his green throne.  
Snively looked over at him. Robotnik had a large smile on his sleeping face.  
**Hope you have a nightmare, you fat slob. A really good one.** He smirked at the thought.   
**How'd I just love to get you in the interrogation room, Julian...you'd get a taste of your own damn medicine...**  
An irritating beeping noise drew his attention to the surveillance monitors. A SpyEye was sending its transmissions back.   
The floating camera was somewhere near the bay. He could see the shoreline; strewn with garbage and gunk. Traveling up the beach and towards the outskirts of the city, was the hedgehog.  
He sent a transmission back, telling the camera to move closer. It did so. He saw there was also an attractive Mobian girl with the hedgehog. She had wild brown hair, blowing all over her face in the evening wind. He noticed that the hedgehog was holding a glass box in his arms.  
He commanded the camera to move closer. It obeyed once again. The hedgehog stooped and picked up a rock. The last thing the SpyEye saw was the stone hurtling towards it.  
The surveillance monitor dissolved into static.   
"Damn."  
Sniv' turned around, eyeing his uncle.   
"Sir?"  
Robotnik grunted and shifted in his throne.  
He raised his voice. "Sir!"  
Robotnik was still.  
"SIR!!" He kicked the console, making a resounding metal clang. Robotnik sat up.  
"Eh...?" He blinked and looked at his nephew. "WHAT IS IT, SNIVELY?! WHY ARE YOU WAKING ME UP!!!?"  
"There's a hedgehog sighting."  
"What's he doing?" grumbled the tyrant.  
"Well, he just destroyed the SpyEye, but," Sniv' cleared his throat nervously, "he was down near the bay, and..."  
Robotnik's eyes widened.  
"There was a Mobian with him..."  
"Was he carrying anything?" Robotnik blurted out. His voice sounded unusually anxious.  
**Oh my...don't think he's going to like the answer.** Sniv' gulped painfully, throat dry. "Um...actually, he was, sir."  
Robotnik jumped out of his throne and stamped over. "What was it!?"  
Sniv' backed away. "It was a box, sir. A glass box."  
"WHAT?!" Robotnik swung, and Sniv' ducked. A huge dent was made in the console, but Robotnik didn't seem to care. He grabbed the nearest comm device and screamed orders to capture the hedgehog.  
Then he blared into the intercom system of the Death Egg: "PACKBELL, GET IN HERE NOW!!!" 


	4. i loved life so much

Part Four  
I loved life so much  
  
**"Benjamin...I'm from the future. I have to tell you, I sent a hero back to you. Please, give him this message from me!"  
"But you are me! Can you tell me, tell me, please...how will it all end?"  
"No...because I do not know. I can see a little, but it is foggy."  
"Will the evil escape again?"  
"I don't know...I don't know..." The future self shook her head. She saw shattered glass. She saw dead stars. She heard a whisper in her mind...  
**You can't keep chasing after IT like this...you know that you must end it. You weren't supposed to exist this long.**   
But she did not answer. Because it could not be true. She didn't want it to be true.  
"No, I am afraid I do not know how it will all end."**  
  
*****  
  
  
Sonic followed after the girl.   
"Where are we going, exactly?" he asked.  
"I don't know," she said.  
He walked alongside her. "What IS that thing?"  
She peered down at him and the box he held. She was a good dealer taller than him.  
"IT is evil."  
"I knew that!"  
She sighed. "IT is an evil energy. IT is made from dust and decay and death. IT swallows all life. IT thrives on souls..."  
Sonic's eyes widened. "It eats souls?"  
She nodded. "It keeps them within ITself. IT feeds off them, slowly...because IT gets pleasure from both the eating, and the pain the eating causes..."  
The hedgehog rubbed his head. "Man, this is giving me a headache!" He thought of that scream he'd heard from Sally...or her soul rather. Had IT been feeding off her soul at that moment?  
He shuddered hard and couldn't seem to stop. Benjamin touched her hand to his shoulder. For some reason, it soothed him. The tremors went away, and calmness replaced them.  
He looked up at her. "Who are you?" The question tumbled out like a gasp.   
"I am the Guardian of IT."  
"But how did ya ever get tangled up with that thing?"  
She opened her mouth, then closed it, looking confused. "I have always been around IT. Ever since I was born. IT seems that we came into being at the same time..."  
He frowned. "What'd your parents think about IT?"  
"I...I..." She faltered. "My mother..." She looked up at the sky, blinking. Sonic saw tears gathering in her green eyes.  
"I...I do not remember a mother... But I must have one. Everyone has a mother."  
He cleared his throat. "Maybe, she uh, died when you were little... A lot of our moms, the freedom fighters, I mean, a lot of our moms are dead..."  
She looked down at him. "Is yours?"  
He shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, I really don't know."  
"I do not remember being separated from a mother. Do not remember if there WAS one to be separated from..."  
He suddenly felt very lonely. Separated from life and love. He wondered if it was her feelings somehow washing over him.   
**With everything else weird happening around here, I wouldn't be surprised!**  
He had the sudden urge to give her a hug. He embraced her a little awkwardly. She didn't seem surprised, but sank to her knees and hugged him back. They stayed like that for several moments.  
The strange feeling faded away from him.  
Benjamin released him and smiled a little. Like her whole aura, it was tinged with melancholy.   
**He felt my sadness. It overwhelmed me for a moment. I cannot be wrapped up in myself. I must take IT away from here.**  
"Thank you, blue one, for your help. But now, I must take IT to a safe place."  
"Wait a minute...are you telling me to leave?"  
She nodded.  
"I don't think so."  
"You cannot do anything against IT."  
"And you can?"  
"I am the guardian."  
"Look lady, ya dragged me into it, and this is one hedgehog who doesn't back out when the goin' gets tough!"  
She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly, a black blur slammed into her. She screeched and toppled into Sonic.  
The box went flying. Sonic leapt for it, hitting one knee hard on an outcropping of rock. He stumbled and belly-flopped onto the sand, his arms stretched out. The box landed in his hands.  
He got to his feet, wincing. He glanced down and saw blood oozing from his scraped and bruised knee.  
"Give me that box, hedgehog!"  
The voice was familiar. Sonic brought his eyes away from his wound to glare at the face of Commander Packbell.  
Packbell held out his hand, and gave Sonic a demeaning look. "Hand that over, hedgehog. It wasn't meant for your hands."  
"Like I'd give you anything!" laughed the blue blur. "Except maybe this!" He bent down and snatched a rock, straightened up and whipped it at the android, all in one smooth fast motion.  
The android's head snapped back, and he snarled. His hand rubbed at his face, smearing the oil that was his blood over his cheek.   
"You'll pay for that, rodent!"  
"So cliché!" laughed the hedgehog. "But you never live up to your promises, Pack*smell*."  
Ben grabbed his arm urgently. "We must leave."  
**He will not give up.** Her head reeled with his thoughts. There wasn't much there...just rebellion, and a smoldering hatred towards the fake man. **But we cannot stay here. The box cannot be broken!**  
"Come, blue one! We must get IT to safety!"  
The urgency in her voice hit Sonic like a hammer. It was doubled by intense anxiety, which seemed to flow from her hand through his whole body. He pried her hand off his arm. The feeling faded.  
**How the heck does she do that? Nevermind. Guess she's right.**  
"Ok, c'mon!" He handed her the box, and scooped her up in his arms. She was tall, and his knee throbbed with the increase of weight. He revved up and ran.  
She clutched onto the box with both hands, nearly spilling out of his arms. He clutched onto her tighter, shouting, "Lean back into me, so ya don't fall off!"  
She obeyed, trying to cuddle into his chest. Her long legs dangled, her feet nearly touching the ground.   
**Man, this isn't working too well! This gal is bigger than Sally! Oh man, my knee!**  
It burned like fire, felt almost like the nerves were exposed. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore it.   
"Blue one, you are hurt! Can you continue?"  
"Yeah."  
"The fake man is far behind us now."  
"Hey, better safe than sorry."  
"You cannot run much further."  
"Don't worry 'bout me, Benji."  
"Please, you must stop."  
"Just hang onto that box," he said, refraining from adding 'and keep quiet'.   
**We hafta get as far away from ole Packers as we can! That creep'll end up bustin' the box for sure!**  
They were in the junkpiles surrounding the city. He turned around a pile and let out a screech. A SWAT on a hoverbike was right there. It fired a laser, which he dodged easily. The girl's weight almost made him tip over.   
He set her down.   
"I'm gonna trash this bot, k? Hold this." He thrust the box into her arms.  
"Blue one, let us just run!"  
"It'll just take a sec." He zoomed towards the bot, which was zooming towards him. He leapt up onto a pile of scrap, and leapt off of that, doing a nice backflip. His feet came down hard on the back of the bot's bike.  
This caused them to both crash. The bot flew off, bashing its head against the hard ground. A swift spindash from Sonic rendered it a useless pile of scrap.  
After the dash however, Sonic wasn't in such good shape. He stumbled down onto one knee, clutching the other. "Ow man."  
A worried frown crossed her face. "You are hurt!"   
"Yeah," he grunted. "I pulled somethin' or somethin'."  
She set down the box and helped him up, supporting his body. He gingerly put his weight on the injured leg. He winced.  
"Can you walk?"  
He took a few limping steps. "Yeah. Sorta."  
She picked up the box. "I must get this to safety."  
"Hey hey, you ain't going anywhere without me!"  
She looked down at the box, then at him.   
"I do not want to leave you, but the box must not be broken or we will all die."  
**I know I know... but geez, if Packbell catches her...**  
"I will be fine," she blurted. "Do not worry."   
"You might need my help!"  
She turned and walked away from him.  
"HEY!"  
She kept walking.  
He struggled after her.   
"You're gonna get hurt!" he bellowed.   
She turned with hooded eyes and he felt a wave of...something...pass over him...  
Her eyes...  
Green like forest leaves, filled with sparkles...like looking up through the trees at night at the stars...  
**Is she like that?** The thought struck him suddenly and he had no idea where it'd come from.  
**Like what?  
Like the sky...  
No...  
The stars...**  
He stared at her and it seemed he could see through her, like she was so much light and empty timeless space.  
"You ain't from around here, are you?" he said and laughed weakly.  
"No." she said simply, and turned away again.  
Although he had a feeling she could defend herself, he couldn't stop his ego, his 'the man must protect the woman' nature from welling up.  
**She might need help.**  
So, he followed after, getting irritated with every step. She wasn't slowing down for him, but that wasn't the annoyance.  
**I shouldn't have any trouble catching up with anyone! **  
He cursed his throbbing knee and forced himself to walk faster. It hurt, sure, but it seemed to be the lesser of the two evils.  
**Because the ego is an insatiable thing.** Benjamin thought, after tasting his thoughts. She could read him like a book, a book with all the important parts highlighted. **He follows like any good solider would. Running blindly into the danger. He does not know that this is MY duty. This evil...IT won't get out again. Not this time.**  
**You will leave it and run again, like before. You don't perform your duty, you shirk it. Don't you feel the wrongness of it all? The hedgehog saw it. He saw through you...nothing. You're nothing.**  
Benjamin frowned. **Silence.**  
They sounded like her inner voices, but couldn't be! **I am not nothing! I am a protector of life!** And she suddenly felt a great love for all she saw; the straggly grass, the sky, even the junkpiles.   
It could not be her inner voices. It had to be IT, trying to warp her mind. She could feel IT's excitement through the box. She could almost hear it.  
**YOUR SOUL IS MINE. YOUR LIFE IS MINE. YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO TRAP ME AGAIN. SO IT SHOULD BE...ALL LIFE WILL END. I WILL BEGIN.**  
**NO!** She mind-screamed, with such force her energy rattled the very glass she held.   
Sonic saw the black energy seem to shrink in on ITself suddenly, as if fearful, then flared out, pressing ITself against the glass.   
He shivered.  
"IT is angry," she said. "IT wants out."   
"How did IT get in there, anyway?"   
"I put IT there."  
"You mean IT's been out before?"  
"Yes, IT was born free."  
"How do you know?" he demanded, his knee throbbing madly. He wanted to rest, yet at the same time didn't, and that made him cranky.  
"We are connected somehow, blue one. The evil and I. I...I think we are of the same things...the same material."  
"Oh whatever," he scoffed.  
**And I thought NICOLE was hard to understand! Maybe St. Jerk was right. This lady DOES sound crazy!**  
"Where do you come from, anyway?"  
"I am not from this planet. I am from far away. I have been to many places. I caught up to IT finally... IT had killed half of a planet. I trapped IT in this box. I do not know exactly where I was born."  
"Why'd ya trap it in a glass box of all things?" he laughed.  
"This box is made from me...it was created from my own mind and my wish to keep IT contained. While I hold the box, it is the hardest to break."  
He frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"  
"She sighed a little. "It is hard to explain. But think of something that you really believe in. Like your love for the princess."  
He jumped. "How do you know about her?"   
She hesitated." I could feel it in your head...in your thoughts..."  
He decided not to question it. She was weird, that was all there was to it. Psychic, perhaps. He laughed inwardly. Scientific Sally would never buy it. She liked explanations for things. Which meant she wouldn't believe in this 'psychic' bullcrap. But he knew there was something about her, something maybe even beyond psychic. He thought of the way he could almost see through her, like she was made from astral dust, or something. It gave him the creeps.  
"Fine, uh, so what were you saying?"   
"When you believe in something strongly, then you pour yourself into it. You do not let anyone take it away from you. That is like me and the box. I want so strongly for IT not to escape, that the want actually strengthens the glass..."  
"I think I get it," he said. **Yeah right. She makes no sense.**   
She smiled. "It is alright if you do not understand, blue one. But the glass is strongest in my hands, which is why I must get IT away from here. You must leave this place on your own, or hide here and I will come back for you."  
He scowled. "I don't think so. I'm coming with you."  
"Then come," she sighed.   
So she began walking again, him barely keeping up.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
They were still walking among the junk when they heard a voice yelling.  
They both turned in the direction of the sound, and saw Packbell running towards them. He was a good distance away, but could cover the gap quickly with his android speed and stamina.  
"Damn," swore Sonic. "He's always gotta pop up at the wrong time, don't he?   
She nodded a little, then broke into a run. Sonic tried to rev up, but his knee hurt too much. He limped behind her, going the fastest he could in his injured state.  
"Whatsa matter, hedgehog?" Packbell leapt out in front of them. They stopped. He grinned. "Hurt yourself, didya?"  
"Aw, shove it, Pack smell."  
"No need for rudeness," the android smirked. "Just hand over the box."  
Benjamin clutched the box tightly in her arms. "You cannot have it!"  
"Cut the crap, girly. You can't beat me."  
She narrowed her eyes, and carefully set the box down behind her. Then she raised her arms above her head, closing her eyes as if deeply concentrating.   
**The stars...their power is mine. We are connected. We are one?** She felt her hands tingle with intense energy. Her eyes snapped open.  
Packbell saw something in her gaze that made him uneasy. He took a step backwards.  
But before she could release whatever power she held, the hedgehog stepped in front of her. "Run, Benjamin! I'll hold him off!"   
"No, blue one, let me fight!"  
"Just run," grunted the hedgehog, focusing his gaze on the android. Packbell rushed him. Sonic tried to dodge, and managed to avoid the android, just barely. But the next time he wasn't so lucky. Packbell grabbed him up and threw the hedgehog hard into an outcropping of rock.  
Sonic stood up again, swaying unsteadily. He blinked, holding a hand to his head. There was a gash across his forehead, and blood was dripping into his eyes.   
Packbell charged him again, kicking him in the gut, then grabbing him by the neck and slamming his head repeatedly into the rock.  
"NO!"  
Packbell went flying. He lay sprawled on the ground, then got up in a daze, his mouth agape as he stared at the girl.  
She'd shot something at him. A gun? No...her hands were empty.  
She narrowed her eyes. The malicious expression seemed out of place on her face. He saw odd lights in her eyes...lights that shouldn't have been there. For some reason, that made him shudder. He shook it off and ran towards her.  
She held out a hand, palm towards him. He felt an incredible surge of power from her direction, then went flying again.   
Sonic stared at Benjamin.   
"Wow, I didn't know you could do stuff like that."  
She merely nodded, and went to help him up. He leaned heavily against her, then tried to support himself.   
He couldn't. His entire skull ached...like a giant fist was crushing it.  
"Oh man...what did he do to me?"   
"It is ok...you will be fine." She put a hand to his head, and he felt better almost instantly. She smiled at him, a smile so sweet and tender, it reminded him of so many things...  
Of laying in his mother's arms as a babe. **Funny, I could never remember that before. I never even remembered what she looked like before...**  
It reminded him of Sally.   
**Whatever happens Sally...it'll be alright. I won't let you get...get hurt by IT again.**  
"Sorry to break up the lovely moment, really...but I'm pretty sure this is what Doctor Robotnik was interested in."  
Packbell juggled the box between his hands.   
"Put it down!" said Sonic.  
"Please...be careful with it... set it down gently..."  
"What the hell is this thing, anyway?" Packbell stared hard into the box.   
There was something black in there. He couldn't really make out a shape. It seemed to move and bounce. But, the harder he stared, the more he saw something. He furrowed his brow, staring as hard as he could. Something seemed to be taking shape...  
"NO! DO NOT STARE AT IT LIKE THAT!!"   
**He is so evil, that IT will influence him...this cannot happen...not again....not again...**  
Packbell looked up, his face eerily calm. His eyes, instead of their fierce red, were a shade of gentle pink. "What happens if IT gets out?" he asked, voice slurred, as if he were almost asleep.   
"Do not listen to IT. Fight ITs influence." She approached him carefully.  
"I want to know." His voice slurred further. "I wanna see." He lifted the box high above his head.  
She sprang. He slammed the box down towards the ground. She reached her hands out...her fingers out. The box was going to land in her hands.  
"NO!"  
It hadn't.  
It hadn't landed in her hands.  
It'd shattered.  
Against the rocks.  
And was seeping out now, slow like toxic clouds, and just as deadly...  
**No...it's more deadly. More deadly than contamination could ever be.**  
Packbell shook his head, his eyes turning their normal color. The black shape rose up high above them, as if stretching. His mouth stretched in an 'o' shape.  
"What have I done?" he whispered.  
Sonic looked fearfully at IT, then at Packbell. He never thought he'd hear regret in that bastard's voice.  
Packbell was standing the closest to IT. He tried to back away, but IT lashed out with incredible speed.   
The evil backed away as if startled. Packbell collapsed to the ground, eyes dull, but seemingly alive.  
"He is not real," Ben frowned. "He has no real soul to take..." Then she looked to Sonic. "You must run!"   
The evil turned towards him. It lunged. He couldn't help himself; he screamed. He couldn't move. Suddenly she was in front of him.   
"NO!" Her voice was not that loud...not even yelling, really, but for some reason it seemed to shake the very earth. The blackness halted in midair and spun.  
"AHH..." IT seemed to sigh. Sonic heard no words out loud, rather, he felt them inside himself.  
"That thing can talk?" His voice came out in a frightened squeak.  
Both Ben and IT ignored him. IT spoke again: "I'VE FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH YOU, STAR-SISTER. HOW SWEET YOUR SOUL WILL TASTE."  
Sonic took several steps backwards, fighting off the urge to run. It was almost more than he could bear.  
IT's very voice was like a shard of darkness penetrating his heart. It seemed to spread through him, staining him. He shivered and drew in a shaky breath. He felt dirty somehow.  
Benjamin stared deep into IT. IT could not influence her...had no grip on her mind. "You will not have him...or anyone else ever again."  
"NAÏVE. YOU ARE ME. I AM YOU. WE ARE SPLIT NOW. BUT JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE. WE WILL BE ONE. YOU, DEVOURED."  
"No."  
"THE OTHER SOULS WERE NOTHING. YOURS IS THE SWEETEST, THE BRIGHTEST. YOU HAVE BEEN MY BEACON. WHEN I HAVE DEVOURED YOUR SOUL, I WILL HAVE INFINITE POWER." IT seemed to purr. "I WILL BEGIN THEN. LIFE WILL END. I WILL BEGIN."  
Ben glared in defiance, then suddenly her eyes widened. **You have been my beacon.**  
**Could that mean...  
NO!*  
She moved away from Sonic. The evil ignored the quivering hedgehog and floated after her.  
"I know now," she whispered. "I was connected to you. I could trace your path...follow you. I did not realize you could do the same!"  
Sonic stared at her. Her green eyes were filling with tears.   
"What have I done?" she whispered.  
"What?" demanded Sonic in a shrill voice.   
She looked over at him. "I am IT's beacon. It follows me, blue one, don't you see? I have brought DEATH to every place I have trod."  
"Huh?"  
"IT wanted me! IT followed me...like a...like a magnet. And I ran, blue one, I RAN from it! Straight towards others to warn them...instead...I killed them..."  
She stared at her adversary with wet cheeks. "I was too selfish to take up my duty. I knew I was supposed to fight, but I never did."  
The evil seemed pleased. "YOU ARE AWARE THEN. THE CONNECTION? WE ARE ONE. WE WERE CREATED FROM THE SAME DEAD SPACE AND STARS. WE BOTH TAKE WHAT WE LUST FOR."  
"I love life! I did not want to fight you, to die! I loathe you! You are worse than death. You are a thief."  
"IT steals souls," Sonic choked on the last word. **IT stole Sally's soul...**  
"IT devours what it does not have... I clutch to what I do not have. It is true."  
**I didn't want to see.**  
"Am I dead space, blue one? Did you see through me? To what I really am?"  
He turned his head, but she saw the truth in his eyes. He had seen a glimpse of the real Benjamin...that timeless space...just energy in the guise of a girl... The thing that she had refused to believe for so long.   
"I'm not real," she whispered. "I am not real..."  
"But," began the hedgehog.  
"No!" she interrupted. "I have denied it far too long. I am just a creation of the stars... and so is the evil. We aren't meant to be. That is why I must fight IT...and destroy IT."  
She looked down at the ground on which they stood. It was amazing anything could live in the tainted ground near Robotropolis. But there was a tiny pink flower, bright against the gray ground.   
"I clutched to what I did not have. Life. I loved life so much. I did not do my duty...destroy the evil. Undo us, for we aren't meant to be, because I wanted to live." She stroked the flower gently. "But I am a danger to life. I must give myself to IT now, blue one."  
"No, you can't..."  
"Don't be sad. Live please...love your precious life..."  
"But...why do you have to die?" His voice came out like a scared child's. "Why can't you just hide the box where nobody will find it?"  
"I cannot. I thought IT was hidden last time. I almost cost your entire planet their lives. If you hadn't had the energy to go back in time...  
It is the way it must be. It is the way it should have been. Don't hurt for me, Sonic. I was never real to begin with."  
A tear rolled down her cheek. IT hovered, filled with anticipation.  
"YOUR SOUL WILL GIVE ME ULTIMATE POWER."  
"You are wrong," she whispered. "We will both die..." She flung herself forward, arms outspread as if embracing. IT lunged forward into her. They made contact.  
The sound was louder than anything he'd ever heard. He covered his ears, screaming. It was all through him...outside and inside, and shuddering through his soul. He felt the world shifting under his feet, and he fell to the ground.  
He shielded his face. He looked towards where they were, but couldn't see. Light engulfed them, too bright to make out anything.  
**Wait...I can see...**  
He saw her silhouette...  
"NO!"  
The darkness was taking over her silhouette. She was being devoured...  
"NO!"  
The sound grew louder...Sonic couldn't identify it...but it sounded like all the voices in the world lumped together...threaded together with a strange rushing sound...like dead space. He clamped his hands hard over his ears, mashing them to his skull, but it wouldn't fade. He felt as if his body would explode.  
Her brightness was overtaking the darkness.  
Then the sound stopped.  
Dead silence.  
He saw them, merged...bright energy...dark energy... blended perfectly... like yin and yang.  
She seemed to grow brighter and brighter, until she winked out, blending into the air...IT darkened until it was nothing more than a shadow on the ground.  
The silence stretched.  
He curled on the ground.  
**Am I deaf?  
No...**  
Thump thump...  
**What's that...?**  
His heart. He heard his heart, the blood through his veins.  
And then, birds chirping. A breeze playing through the leaves.  
He felt the sun, shining down on his bright fur.  
**I'm alive...**  
He knew without looking that they were gone.  
He suddenly realized what had happened...but at the same time, couldn't grasp it. It was like waking from a dream, and knowing the events, but not quite remembering them...  
He blinked.  
The smell of grass and earth wiped his mind clean, and he breathed in deeply.  
**Thank the gods I'm alive!**  
He struggled to his feet, then tested his knee. It hurt still, but not as badly as before.   
**What a beautiful day!**  
The sun wasn't usually so warm this time of year. But it seemed to heat the earth just for him today. The birds were happy too, flying and twittering above his head.  
He let out a cry of sheer joy. Then he looked around, a bit embarrassed at his little display.  
"Aw, who cares? I'm going home. And gonna give my Sally a nice big kiss when I get there...heh..."  
**Maybe even tell her I love her. Cause although I'm alive today, who knows if I'll be tomorrow. And I want her to know.**  
He stopped and turned around for a second. He stared at the space where Ben and IT had joined.  
**Thank you, Benjamin, for your sacrifice. Even if no one else knows, I'll always remember. You were real in my mind, Ben.**  
He breathed in again, and began the long limping trek towards home.   
  
The tiny pink flower waved in breeze. Then titled its head towards the sun.  
Today was a good day to live. 


	5. the dead ground was covered in flowers

Part Five  
the dead ground was covered with flowers  
  
**She knew what had happened now. It was an accidental thing. They were created out of stars and dust, and brought to life, like planets were. But they weren't intentional.  
It had been an accident.  
**I should've realized the whole thing on the first planet. We were both drawn to each other! If I hadn't gone to the planet, IT wouldn't of either. And vice versa! We both went at the same time, which is why we were drawn to each other. Why the planet was destroyed. That's why all the other planets were destroyed...because I had visited them...   
I know why we were drawn to each other now...   
It killed us. It undid the accident...**  
But I don't understand. Why am I here? Still here?   
Can it be...some part of me was real? Became real?   
I loved life. I loved the feel of the worlds I visited. I...I can still feel the breeze. The warmth of a sun.  
I don't understand what I am...where I am now...  
But I like this...  
I am still here...still alive...  
Does that mean IT is too?  
We were destroyed, yet still exist. Perhaps we always existed. Good and evil? Brought to life as living beings? Maybe not quite. But something like that.**  
  
She seemed to understand now.  
**So we dissipated out again. Flowing through all things as it should be.  
This is as it should be.***  
  
****  
  
  
The command room was quiet, except for the tapping of keys.   
"Hmmm... maybe a small change...right there..."   
Sniv' leaned back in his chair, eyeing the ray-traced drawing that his fat uncle had sketched up in his spare time. It featured a new robot design...a small fast tank-like contraption to patrol the air ducts.  
**It's not a bad idea...even coming from *him*...**  
He could just imagine a Freedom Fighter crawling through the ducts, coming face to face with this thing. It was equipped with a powerful laser. There'd be furry brains all over the place.   
He rotated the 3D image, trying to get a better view of the treads on the machine. They had to be specially designed so they could grip the smooth floor of the ducts, nevermind being able to travel up and down the duct shafts.  
He heard footsteps then, and swiveled his chair around. Packbell was standing in the doorway, with a curious expression on his face.  
"What's the matter? You didn't get the box?"  
Packbell took a few steps into the room. "No." His voice was strangely quiet.  
"Aw, did the nasty hedgehog get away?" Snively laughed. "Robotnik's not going to like that."  
"The thing in the box is gone. I felt it go...she went too..."  
"What's your problem?" Sniv' eyed the android closely. Packbell wasn't usually so...calm. His eyes were half-closed.  
Sniv' wasn't sure he liked this... He got out of his chair and approached the 'droid warily. "What happened, Packbell?"  
"The thing in the box...it like possessed me...I broke the box..."  
Even though Snively had only seen the blackness within the box for a moment, it made him shudder thinking of it loose.  
"Then it came after me..." Packbell's voice came out high and frightened, which made Snively jump. The android was NEVER scared.  
"But I'm still alive," Packbell smirked a little, but it held none of his old cruel edge.   
"What...what happened to that thing?"  
"It's dead, I guess. The girl killed it, I think. She's dead too."  
"Well, you'd better go tell Robotnik. He's down in his main lab."  
"Ok." The android seemed very agreeable. "The time is short...and precious now, it seems. I wonder if that feeling will fade."   
Snively frowned. "Since when are you worried about stuff like that?"  
"I dunno...I dunno..." The android seemed to shiver inwardly then headed down the hallways, with Sniv' tailing him.  
**Something ain't right with that Packbell.**  
  
  
****  
  
A week had passed.  
"Sonic...your knee isn't healed all the way."  
"That's ok, Sal, my love."  
She rolled her eyes. "What's with all the mushy stuff, lately?"  
"I told you."  
Sally smiled. "Puh-leese, Sonic? An evil entity that eats souls? A lady made from the stars? That's silly. I think you were out in the sun too long, that's all."  
"I know you don't believe me, but it's true! I helped save the entire world!"  
She smiled again, and kissed him on the forehead. "I don't believe you, but you'll always be my hero."  
"Awwww."  
"I just have this feeling, Sal, that if we go there, you'll believe me."  
  
He finally convinced her. They decided to take along a picnic basket so afterwards they could have lunch somewhere in the forest.  
"Our hidden place," Sally had said with a wink. They loved to go swimming in a small lake hidden in a deep pocket of the woods.  
Sonic had agreed.  
Sonic's knee was healed enough for him to run and he carried Sally to the wasteland that lay between Robotropolis and the forest.  
"Why are we going here?"  
"It's here, I can feel it!"  
They got closer to the city, the dead ground sending up clouds of dust under their feet. He halted suddenly.  
Sally jumped out of his arms, putting a hand to her mouth. "Wow."  
"That's where they fought," said Sonic.  
The ground was so tainted and polluted that nothing should've been able to survive. But on the hillside where the battle had been fought, the ground was thick with pink flowers.  
The dust they'd kicked up was settling, and they were both shocked to see a figure standing on the other side of the hillside, staring down at the flowers.  
"Packbell!"  
He looked up, a strange smile on his lips, and his eyes a soft pink like the flowers.  
"So that's where she went. But where did the other go?" He kicked at the unnatural shadows the hillside made. "Right there, heh. They won't ever really die, you know."  
Sonic nodded.  
"Let's get out of here," Sally whispered into his ear. They took off.  
"I dunno why," she said as they raced away, "But I think I believe you now."  
He laughed.  
****  
  
It wasn't so bad...being this way...  
She couldn't move, or walk, sure...  
But at least the sun was warm on her...  
And at least she had her sweet life...her realness.   
She could hear the evil. IT was angry. IT couldn't move beyond the hillside.   
You will always be there. But you can hurt no more.  
But I can bring brightness to this dead space.  
  
When Packbell brought Robotnik and Snively to the dead grounds between the city and the forest, they were shocked to see half the wasteland covered with the flowers.  
Robotnik didn't like it.  
But no matter how many times he tried to kill the flowers, they always came back.  
  
In the shadows of the hillside, nothing grew ever again. There was empty death, and right beside it, bright life.  
Coinciding.  
Like it was meant to be.  
  
The End? 


End file.
